


Corrupt Innocence

by Calypphire



Series: Innocent Temptations [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Evil Albus Dumbledore, F/F, F/M, Gen, Good Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV), Good Severus Snape, Kidnapping, M/M, Multi, Other, Past Child Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Rape/Non-con Elements, Slow Burn, Trauma, Voting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:40:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24483670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calypphire/pseuds/Calypphire
Summary: For years Celestial children have been taken away by the corrupt Ministry of Magic, with the goal of being able to keep the Marriage Law going.Caught up in this is Severus Snape and his new Bride.With the help from Lucifer Morningstar, and others, the attempts and hopes to put a stop to this practice and bring down the ones who dared to exploit the powers of the Angels.Voting Elements within the storyTags will be added as the story goes along.This story is a branch off of the original"The Shattering of Innocence",I imagined a different direction a little while back when doing the sequel, so I decided to write it, see where it goes.Warning: Not for those who are of the faint hearts, due to elements of statutory rape/child bride, and other not so nice things, (chapters will come with warnings ahead at each turn)
Relationships: Lucifer/Original Female Character(s), Remus Lupin/Severus Snape, Severus Snape/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Innocent Temptations [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1386805
Comments: 48
Kudos: 16





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a branch off of the original _"The Shattering of Innocence"_ , I imagined a different direction a little while back when doing the sequel, so I decided to write it, see where it goes.
> 
> The combine of Lucifer is very loosely based on the television show "Lucifer". Lucifer is still the suave Devil we know and love, this is just a different take to him.
> 
> The story takes place after Chapter two of _"The Shattering of Innocence"_ \- so the Wedding and Consummation have already taken place; Severus wakes up the very next morning.
> 
> _(Chapter 3 has a voting element to it)._

Chapter 1

Severus woke just before six-thirty the next morning; a habit he had grown into over the years.  
The first image his eyes see after sitting up was Honey lying on her side, with the covers up over her shoulders, where only her head and face were sticking out, still very much asleep; one hand under the pillow, the other sort of clutching the blanketing.

When Honey had re-entered the bed after her shower, she was still unsure of what she was meant to do. Severus could sense she was waiting for his permission to carry out whatever he had in mind, still afraid to make him unhappy, feeling unsure of herself, after having sex for the first time, and her young body was flat out exhausted.

A brief wave of relief did not go unmissed when it was suggested that sleep was the best option; Severus made the decision then and there that he would not do any more to Honey than what he had already had to; unless she wanted to.

Gazing upon his wife, seeing her so peaceful in her slumber, a mental thump of the heart and a kick to the guts feeling in, once again, seeing how extremely young she was, and knowing what had transpired the night before; the evidence of that would no doubt be at Department of Magical Law that record and deal with the marriages under the Marriage Law; sometimes better known as the “Final Act” that secures everything in what was meant to be accomplished; reinforcing his choice even more.

While he knew full well that Honey could not be with anyone else, unless her husband decided to share her in the practice known as “Breeding Parties”, where the young brides are taken to wherever the husbands decide to meet up and they’re made to accommodate to not only their husband, but to the other men, in the goal to have at least one or a few become pregnant, not really mattering who did the siring, for they know that the ownership falls upon the husband of the Bride who becomes pregnant, the child is his no matter what, and they become heir to the Bride’s husband.

The thought made Severus cringe.

Honey was not some brood mare to pump out child after child; she was still very much a child herself, also to the unfortunate fact that... if Honey had of been given to someone else, they might have already gotten a wife – a free witch – and they are the ones who will get the privilege of raising any child the girl births. The Innocent Bride is seen as nothing but an incubator. This is not always the case, as there are plenty of cases where the Brides is seen as the mother, but these tend to be rare, as it wasn’t uncommon for her own children, especially if they were born to be girls, to be handed over to keep the cycle going of Breeding Brides, and never see them the second they are born.

Allowing her to sleep, Severus slid out of the bed so is to start his day; dressing and going down to the large kitchen, where the House Elves, Patu and Minksy, were busy with their routine of chores.  
“Is Master Snape wanting his coffee, sir?”  
“Yes, Patu,” Severus answers.  
Patu goes about in making the coffee; Severus sits himself in the breakfast nook, where he notices a fresh-off-the-press Daily Prophet, sealed envelopes and scrolls lying neatly upon the flat surface of the table.

A small, but still deep, exhale escapes when he read the contents of the paper.  
_‘Law of Marriage prevails’_ the title reads. _The past month has proven to our world why it is important to keep with the traditions we have; a total of six marriages have been validated, with one of them already announcing of the excitement of expecting –welcome news to have in helping to ensure our numbers keep to the steady climb._

Among this was the tally of these marriages that have happened over the year so far, along with the ones who have happened before where new babies have been born. One small blessing is that there was a choice whether the couples, (and new parents), wanted to be made public or not. Severus strongly made sure that there was no way that he and Honey were to be announced in any shape or form, just be added to the numbers – it amazed him that.  
Why this was even a thing, Severus didn’t know, frankly it was very disturbing. He also knew that he wasn’t the only one who believed this way.  
Setting the newspaper aside, the Wizard turned his attention to the rest of the mail.

Again he felt his heart thump hard when he saw the inside of the first envelope. It was a birth certificate, alongside a Marriage certificate and a couple of documents.  
The day Severus had married Honey was the same day she had turned thirteen.  
The arrangements were still the same regardless, when a Bride gets her first period, she is married three months later, meaning Honey could have easily been twelve and still would have to endure it all.  
The poor girl did not get to celebrate her thirteenth year like a free girl would.  
This made Severus’s blood boil a little.

Why would Dumbledore do this to his own granddaughter? Have her sent and raised in that boarding house. Where were her parents? That he did ask, only to be given the reply ‘they were unfit to have her’ and the subject was dropped; Dumbledore would not, or will not, speak any more of it, throwing in the greater good, speech as if the matter was settled.  
_‘How was forcing a person to marry being part of the ‘greater good’?’_ he thought, frowning at this.

It saddened him, knowing that Honey did not get to enjoy her first official day as a teenager. Even he remembers his mother doing all she could to make his own birthdays special up until she passed away, these days he didn’t really much think of them, as they were just another day to him, except he was simply an extra digit older; but the thought of his own wife –

He stops himself for a moment when the word ‘wife’ intruded right on into his thinking, causing him to close his eyes and heavy inhale and exhale again. As much as he did not like it, he could not escape the truth of it, Honey was his wife and there was nothing he could do about it.  
Taking a sip of the dark brew, Severus continued to read, venturing into the documentations, which had come with the certificates, detailing the official declaration and acknowledgment of his full ownership over Honey.  
With this, he was granted access to everything and anything that was in Honey’s name; including information he wished to know. How much of it will be available upon request in another thing, as it was Albus Dumbledore who was Honey’s male guardian before Severus took over.

Again, Severus found himself frowning.  
Albus Dumbledore, the great wizard with many handsome titles to his name, favoured by many, named himself grandfather to Honey Michelle, and it was he who chose to have this life for her, instead of allowing her to attend Hogwarts, or any other wizard school; why did he condemn her to being married to someone twice her age?  
That was another thing Severus had noticed. Not once during their meetings before their wedding date, nor even after they were wedded, did he see Honey pull out a wand.  
Neatly restacking everything, Severus magicked them into a specially sealed document folder, where only he and Honey would be able to open it; he goes to take another sip of his coffee, when he sees Minksy carrying a tray of food toward him.  
“Is Mistress to be joining Master?” the elf asks.  
“I do not know,” Severus answers, deciding that he would let the girl be, and instructed the elf to place the tray on the table.

After he had eaten his fill and did some quick and small activities, including setting up a couple of cauldrons in order to start brewing potions, Severus goes to check in on Honey, finding her sitting up in bed, lower half still under the covers, her face looking between confused and terrified.  
She sees him entering.  
“I... I didn’t know what you wanted me to do?” she softly speaks, lower lip quivering.  
Severus was puzzled. “What do you mean? How long have you been awake for?” He looks at his watch to see that it was now 8:45am.

“Um... I... I don’t know... I, um... I don’t know how... how to... um... I don’t really know how to tell the time!” Honey’s cheeks were starting to go pink with embarrassment and fear. “I’m sorry, Master, I was always woken up by the Keepers and told what to do and if I didn’t do it when they wanted me to, I was...” She doesn’t look at him when she spoke the last word, “Punished”, adding that she wasn’t really allowed to know what it said on a clock of any kind, and was just expected to know.

She didn’t see him approach, but felt the shift in weight on the bed next to her. Honey looks up to meet Severus’s onyx eyes.  
“First, my name is Severus, the only time Master is suitable is when it refers to my being a Potions Master... or it is coming from one of the House Elves, and last I checked you are not a House Elf.  
“Second, you are no longer at that place, you are here, this is your home and you do not need to wait for me to tell you to take care of your own basic needs, or make you into some slave. I do ask that you look after yourself, and not be afraid to do so.”  
Severus stops Honey from looking away, he wanted her to hear him, understand how things are for her now.  
“I do not demand you to know what is asked, because just knowing when you do not is illogical and whoever came up with that is a dunderhead! I do not want you believing that I am going to treat you the way you have been made to accept as true, for you will be likely seeing the near on opposite when it comes to people whom I care about, and you being my wife counts. I promised to protect you to the best of my abilities and that is what I intend to do, I wish to earn your trust, Honey. If love does come into being, so be it, but I do not expect it, nor will I demand it. I would like your friendship, if that is a possibility, but again, that is for time to tell.  
“You are safe here; you are free here, as I told you last night. Of course the only exception was when we had to complete our bond of marriage, and my ownership upon you.”  
These words did help to ease the girl sitting before him, not by much, but enough.

“You say you do not know how to tell the time?”  
Honey nods, her hands started to fidget with each other, lowering her gaze, cheeks going pink again, still looking upset, despite the easing she had displayed.  
“I... I was not allowed to learn,” her soft voice says.  
“What else have you not been allowed to know or do?” Severus asks, gently getting her to stop his wife’s hands from fidgeting.  
“Does it matter?” she replies to her husband. “I was told I was for one purpose and one purpose only... I don’t even know what purpose means, but it was said to me enough times to be in my head. The only thing I was really allowed to do was art, because my male guardian believed that someone like me doesn’t need to or be allowed to harness my powers, so much so that... I can’t do any magic... I can feel that it’s there, but... I can’t reach it. Or get my own wand when I came of age to be able to receive one, whatever they mean by that.  
“But... I really want to know how to read and write...”  
Tears were escaping down her cheeks.  
“I don’t know how to spell my own name, I only know how to count to ten... and I do not know when my actual birthday is, only that it’s the twenty-fifth of August, but I don’t even know if it’s been or gone, I am simply told, it’s my birthday and I am to believe it, or else I... I am... punished for being ungrateful and questioning it, because someone like me doesn’t need to know that stuff, I am only meant to please my husband... and make babies.”

Hearing this caused Severus to feel his heart thump again; anger was quietly simmering beneath, as well as deep sadness for Honey, because she just blurted out what he had suspected during his visits to the Boarding House, but couldn’t say anything, or ask what actually went on – too many questions and interferences caused trouble from what Severus had learned from whispers and rumours and one or two personal acquaintances.

“You have never known your own birthday?” he asks.  
With her tears still streaming, Honey slowly and glumly shook her head. “No. I was told I was thirteen two days before... be-before yesterday. I don’t even remember when they told me when I had been twelve, except I do remember being allowed cherries, which I really, really like. I am only allowed cherries on my birthday, and if I have been good.”  
“Honey, you have been lied to. Yes, your birthday is on the twenty-fifth of August, but it wasn’t two or three days ago,” Severus carefully tells her.  
“It wasn’t?”  
“No,” said Severus, tenderly wiping away as many tears from Honey’s porcelain face. “I have received your birth certificate, and I can truthfully tell you that your birthday was, in fact, yesterday. You turned thirteen the same day we wedded and bonded, which was...”  
“Yesterday,” she finishes.  
The realisation of Severus telling her the truth, and her being deep down knowing he was speaking in real honesty, caused Honey’s lip to tremble and shoulders beginning to shake as her tears started afresh and sobs took over.

Severus comforted the girl; Honey didn’t stop him from pulling his arms around her, assuring her once more that she was no longer at under the control of her Grandfather or the Keepers.  
“You will be allowed to have an education; you will be allowed to be free to have a life you wish to have. To the point where you do not have to share my bed with me, you are welcome to have your own room, if you choose.”  
This shocked Honey. “But... I was told you wouldn’t want that from me. I am not to have a say in anything, because -”  
“Oh, I am sure that I have a pretty good idea as to what was probably said about me,” Severus firmly and delicately cuts her off, his eyes darkening a little. “I take it these words that have been fed to you were from your own Grandfather?”

Honey didn’t respond, she didn’t have to, and it was written on her face, along with what appeared to be something of an apology.  
“You have nothing to apologise for, nor be ashamed about,” he continues. “We can use this as a start point of what may end up being many choices you are possibly going to be encountering. Would you like to have your own room? Or stay in this room, with me?”  
Honey didn’t know how to answer him, feeling overwhelmed by this.  
“You do not have to answer straight away, as some choices can and do take time to decide,” Severus reassures her, with an encouraging smile. “While you are now given the choice to think it over, I am going to ask what you would like to have for breakfast, as I am sure you possibly hungry since waking up, yes?”  
“Yes,” she answers.  
“What would you like to have?”

###

Making a real choice for herself, one that did not have repercussions, was not something Honey was used to, and Severus caught this very quickly; not just from what he learned the day before, or earlier that morning, but visibly seeing the true impact of his wife’s upbringing, in how she was made to think and do things, it was beyond heartbreaking.

He thought seeing his mother being mistreated by the man she was forced to marry was bad, didn’t seem as shocking compared to what he was seeing with Honey.  
She really did not have a single clue how to choose anything for herself, her days and tasks had been drilled into her so heavily, doing the simplest of thing such as going to the bathroom, as it was mentioned only the evening before, sent the girl into hysterics; believing she still needed permission and wasn’t allowed to ask... or couldn’t... or...

It took a lot for Severus to help Honey to settle down and convince her that she did not need anyone’s permission to do basic self-care.  
“You are not there! You are not under anyone else’s control! Your home is here, with me, and things are extremely different to what you’ve had to deal with,” he tells her.  
He would say this over and over again, in so many different ways to where it was starting to seep into her.  
She was frightened of making Severus angry over the smallest of things, and as it turned out, Honey did not get to choose anything, from what she wore to what she ate; if she dared to change a single button, she was punished for it.  
Severus did not press for a decision over her having her own room suggestion; Honey was still stressing over cleaning the house, because that’s what Brides did when they were not expecting.

The entire day, and the day after that was a series of Honey learning time and time again that she was allowed to make her own decisions; Severus was not going to discipline her, she was given options. He took things slow and small, so is to not overwhelm her, giving his wife a choice between two or three of whatever it was he thought she may like or want, and she was quick to understand this method.  
After checking on Honey, who was deep in dreamland, and looking very peaceful, to where he did not dare to wake her, Severus made his way to his office, and began to sort out options and strategies.  
“Honey Michelle,” he speaks softly, looking first at the birth certificate. “I made a promise to you before we were legally wed, and another when you became my kin; this promise I intend to uphold.”


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visit to Ollivanders and Gringotts...

Chapter 2

One of the many blessing of growing up in the Muggle world, in Severus’s own opinion, is that he knew where to find the things he needed; even better that no-one knew who the hell he was, nor did it matter if he went under an alias – a trick he learned so is to be able to hide certain little secrets he wanted to keep for one reason or another.  
It was laughable to the Half-Blood Prince to hear how no muggle appliance can function in the Wizard World, yet Severus had made it work within his Manor home.  
True, there were other reasons and factors for this ability, to which is all the reason why Severus shakes his head at the ignorance of the many.  
Not dwelling on that now, as he looked up the ways of getting his wife the help she needed.  
An owl flew in and nearly landed right on top of the laptop computer.  
Severus sneered at it; he had nothing truly against the long-eared owl, it was the owner he had the problem with.  
“I strongly suggest that you do not stick around,” he warns the bird.  
He would not purposely bring harm to the owl itself, but he just did not trust for it to stay for any longer than it had to.  
Seeming to see the seriousness, the long-eared owl took off the second the message was taken from it.  
Not wasting any time, Severus rips it open and reads it through;

> _  
> I do hope Honey is keeping well behaved for you, as I would be willing to make sure she does as she is told if you should require any assistance.  
>  I am well aware that you own her now, any and all decisions on what happens to Honey and her handling is every bit up to you, I just hope you do not make any rash and unwarranted decisions that would make things more trouble than what they are worth.  
>  You are still expected to present yourself at Hogwarts on 1st of September.  
>  Of course it is up to you if you bring your precious rarity of a Bride, or not. Though it would please me to if you did, so is to show her off, similar to what Rolf Barnaby did with his Bride.  
>  Perhaps... show her to your old friend, who is taking the position of Defence against the Dark Arts teacher?  
>  See you in a few days,  
>  Albus Dumbledore.  
>  ___

_  
___  


_Rrriiippp... Rrriiippp... Rrriiippp..._  
The gall of the old man!  
Barnaby was a creep and a half! He shared his Bride! Forced the poor girl to become pregnant again and again, to the point where she got into Severus’s private stock and... It was a horrible memory to have. 

Then there was the old friend reference; a sharp slap to the face. Remus Lupin was more than an old friend.  
Same sex marriages were NOT illegal in the Wizard World, and they had it all planned out, only to have it all dashed and interfered with.  
It did not take a hard gander for Severus to figure out, now that he was married to Honey, who was behind the separation and barred communication between the two Wizards. 

Though Severus did enjoy having interactions with females, this was not how he would have chosen it.  
Thinking over what he had read.  
‘What the fucking hell did he mean by “precious rarity of a Bride”?’ he wondered.  
There was no guessing what the old fart meant by not making rash choices.  
_‘Humph’_ escapes him, as he continues to look at the screen in front of him, _‘rash, indeed!’_

###

__

“This is highly unorthodox!”  
“Why? My wife is a witch, and she deserves to have a wand like any other one, and she is more than just some mere object!” Severus snarls, not backing down away from his piercing glare, seeing right into the older man’s thoughts.”  
Ollivander gulped at the foreboding loom of Severus Snape, before resting his eyes on the white blonde girl who had come into his shop with the Potions Master, practically hidden behind him, looking very tentative on this.  
“Very well, I cannot proclaim to understand why you would want your Bride to have such privilege, but she is your property and the law is the law,” the Wand Maker speaks with cautious tone. Severus steps aside and softly encourages Honey forward with a gentle nudge, before stepping behind her, whispering that he had her back.  
One by one, Honey was given wand after wand, but not one of them lit up, glowed or anything to suggest that she would connect with them.  
“Perhaps there is none here that is suitable for -”  
Severus pulls his own wand out and points it at the Ollivander. “I dare you to finish that sentence!” Ollivander gives a sharp inhale, holding his hands up; oh, how he knew this particular wand very well, like he did with every single one of the wands he sold.  
Severus’s wand was of a rare core combination; phoenix feather, the heartstrings from a Romanian Ridgeback and Kelpie, wrapped in the elegant ebony from the deepest part of West Africa he was able to, by luck, access, though it would take an extra six years for him to be able to conjure the wand, complete with Ogham carvings and in all its power, now pointing right at him, by one extremely, extra powerful, wizard to have the honour of wielding it.  
It took well over six hours for Severus and Ollivander to find his wand!  
So far, they have been in the shop for only one hour and a quarter, where the Wand maker was not willing to participate. “Looks like we will be taking our business elsewhere for the time being, as we have other matters to attend to, today,” Severus decides to say, keeping his wand pointed, while placing a gentle hand on Honey’s shoulder. “We shall return, Mr Ollivander; that is if you wish to boast on how brilliant of a Wand Maker you truly are, and continue to have such a reputation.”  
“But... I am not convinced that there is a wand for someone like her,” Ollivander dares to utter.  
Honey’s lowers her gaze at this statement.  
“I really am not worth the trouble, Master,” she whispers. “I know my place.”  
“Even she understands what is unachievable; as much as it pains me to say.”  
Ollivander’s hand shot up at the sudden feel of a cut on his cheek, feeling the light trickle of blood.  
“We will return,” Severus simply tells him, without raising his voice, as the warning fire was enough to know how serious he was.  
He leads Honey out of Ollivander’s shop, and into Diagon Alley. “Honey, you will find your wand, worthy of your command and respect,” he then strongly tells her, having her silver-tinged-blues looking up at him, making sure they weren’t bumping into anyone in doing so. “For now, there are other dealings that need to be done, and it’s best to get them sorted before anything else.”  
There was clear doubt etched in Honey’s porcelain face, but she didn’t speak, only nodded to simply agree and moved along with Severus to Gringotts Bank.  
Upon entry, they were seen to straight away and escorted to the Head Goblin’s office, where he was waiting.  
“Uh, Lord Prince, what do I owe the pleasure?” the Goblin greets from where he was doing some filing work.  
“I would like to make a few changes and updates today, if that is doable, Iznog,” Severus politely inquires. “Mainly to add my wife, so that she is recognised as Lady Prince and legally access all accounts and holdings obtained under my name and heritance." Iznog had been notified much earlier on some of his client’s intentions before this meeting; especially in concern for Honey.  
Upon looking at the small framed, porcelain faced, white blonde girl, Iznog’s eyes widened a little for a split moment; Severus caught this.  
“You don’t approve?” the Potions Master said, frowning, almost going into a similar tone to what he had done with Mr Ollivander.  
The Head Banker Goblin shook his head, speaking with respect, as he had always been so toward Severus and the Princes’ line before him, (even if Severus did go by ‘Snape’ for various purposes and reasons). “Quite the contrary, my Lord, I mean no disrespect. I am more... surprised, I think is the best phrase, to see one so close... and forced to be so constricted.”  
This confuses Severus; Honey equally so. “The marriage Law is still being practiced, Iznog, I thought you knew why we were here,” says the Potions Master.  
“Again, you misunderstand me.” 

Seeing that neither, Severus, nor Honey, (which really saddened the Goblin, and infuriated him, all the same), had a clue, and feeling that this was of great magnitude enough to say something, now that his words have escaped him, Iznog makes his way over from the filing cabinet to close the door, making sure that no-one was going to overhear what needed to be transpired, not before requesting for a couple of employees to carry out a few errands, and pronto.  
“First, I can say that the updates and changes can be done today, as requested. At least the sooner it is done, the better, in fact. Had I have known...”  
“Known what?”  
Iznog, already moving to the desk, but did not go around to sit in the chair, looks at Honey.  
“Did you go anywhere else before coming here?” he asks.  
Honey wasn’t expecting to be spoken to, glances promptly at Severus, anxious for a millisecond, until assured otherwise.  
“We... er... we went to the wand place,” she answered, her voice barely above a whisper. “B-but... I...”  
“Did not connect with any of the wands present to you?” Iznog finishes.

Honey shakes her head, feeling as though something was wrong with her. She had known that her magic had been blocked from her use, she had told Severus, and now voiced it again, though scared to her wits end on revealing so much to someone she didn’t even know, and was still getting to know in the terms of her husband.  
“Would that be why she was having trouble before?” Severus asks the Goblin, curious to know, concerned for Honey, who had been offered a seat, (which she took, after warm reassurance).  
The Head Banker Goblin did a sort of hand gesture that meant ‘yes and no’.

“It is known that a Betrothed Bride is still able to receive her wand, conversely it has been noted that in the last couple of decades the rules had changed slightly, where the Betrothed needed to have permission from her male guardian when she came of whatever age you allow your young to acquire one, or the husband; we Goblins hardly understand this, but since we deal with you so often, it is difficult to not take notice,” Iznog goes to explain, shaking his head at this. “However, upon saying this, and there is deep knowledge amongst us Goblins, along with a few of the strong allies we have on why the strong change, especially when it wasn’t full blooded witches who were forced to become mates with Wizards in the beginning of the Marriage Law when it was put in place back in the fourteenth century, so is to breed and create the perfect pureblood lines, and keep them going, numbers were flourishing once upon a time, where it wasn’t necessary to keep the practice as high as it once did.  
“Of course there have been the outside influences where this began to dwindle, and later the question to keep the Marriage Law in place. This naturally started in the decline to the numbers of families handing over their daughters to the Betrothal sect, to where kidnappings and murders have been taking place for quite some time.”

“Those allegations have been denied,” Severus points out; Iznog caught the Wizard’s tone.  
“There is a reason for that,” says the Goblin, his eyes travelled over to Honey; Severus’s followed. “Have you ever wondered why the only contact you’ve ever had was with the person who claims to be your grandfather?”  
Honey fidgeted, not looking at either of them. “I was told that I was saved and that I should be grateful; something called a life debt? I don’t understand what that is. If I try to ask, I was told that I didn’t need to know, because it’s not important for me to know. My birth certificate is real, from what I have been told.”  
There was a knock on the door; Iznog swiftly hobbled over to answer, seeing one of the employees he had delegated tasks to, and was relieved by seeing the neat stack within his hands.  
“Ah... thank you, Odbert.”

“Burgock has done what was asked, too,” Odbert said, as the Head Banker Goblin took the files and documents; checking that everything was accounted for.  
“Excellent, I am also going to acquire you to be witness.”  
Odbert obliged and asked if there was any need for another, as it never hurts to have an extra. There was a pause on this, to think on it.  
“I believe that the best witness is on their way for the extra important commerce,” Iznog speaks, considerate of his colleague’s suggestion.  
“What exactly do you mean by ‘extra important’, Iznog?” Severus asks with curiosity.  
“To put it simply, it concerns your wife, the Lady Prince.”

Honey didn’t know what the Goblin was meaning; believing she upset him. “Did... did I do something I shouldn’t have? I... I am, s-sorry if -”  
“No! No! You are not in any form of trouble!” Iznog assured, his sharp face lined with profound concern, for the frightened expression on the girl’s face was very telling, taking a quick look over at Severus, seeing that he was equally so, if anything silently boiling with fury that he was holding with great self control. “You are an innocent, and the sooner you know, the better.”  
“But...”  
A warm, gentle hand placed over hers; Severus told her that she had nothing to fear, she was, indeed safe, and whatever she needed to know, he would be with her, as he would be learning along with her.  
“I made a promise, Honey.”

First thing that was done was updating all the accounts, adding Honey’s bio-signature, so that she was recognised as being part of the Prince Heritage, as well as the Snape name. Severus had chosen to keep the name of the man who had married his mother, going as far as naming his home, ‘Snape Manor’, for deep personal reasons; however, he knew that he could very easily, and legally, go by Prince if he wished to, as it was well within the laws that dated back to when lineage was vital, and all that went with it.

Choosing for Honey to simply place a droplet of blood, via a prick on the finger, along with a simple scribble, (assured that it was okay to not know how to spell her own name), was enough for everything to swiftly update on the spot.  
It was at this point when Severus caught sight of it. He blinked for a second, thinking it was a trick of the lights, only...  
“Wait...?” he says, straightening up a little more, eyes not moving from the documents, all on the desk in front of all to see, specifically, was a photo, right next to a certain birth certificate.  
Taking a better look, by picking it up, the memory that had been somehow blocked practically exploded into his mental view; borderline identical to Honey’s, seeing the beautiful porcelain face, silver-blue eyes and white blonde hair.

“She’s beautiful,” says Honey. “Who is she?”  
Severus’s mind raced over everything that had him remembering about that moment in time.  
“She was your mother,” was all he could say, not stopping her from taking the photo to have a better look. “I remember her... I helped her, or tried to help... Her name was Lailah...”  
“What happened to her?” Honey asks, not looking away from the face that was smiling beautifully, radiant from the picture.  
“She unfortunately died,” Severus carefully told her. “I... I was there when it happened.”  
“How did she...?”  
Severus shakes his head. “I do not wish to keep such information from you; right now, just know that when the time is right, I will tell you the truth of what happened.”  
Honey thought this over, meekly nodding. Severus could see that as curious as she was, she felt that she was being probing for too much, and she was going to be in some sort of trouble.

“If Lord Prince permits for me to go further,” Iznog words, glancing over at Severus, getting the nod of consent, “It is valuable for you to know that your mother was a Celestial.”  
“What is a Celestial?”  
“To try and put it so you can be aware of, Honey, a Celestial is a race of beings that are perhaps more powerful than Wizards and Witches. It is where the magic of Witches and Wizards originally came from, based on what we have come to learn and understand through what has been given to us through history passed down,” Severus tells her.  
“The problem is that there have been those who sought to exploit the singular fact that Celestials have a high compatibility rate of successfully mixing with certain species, created a slightly more advanced one as a result, the methods of this vary, depending on the Celestial themselves.”

Honey was listening, the wheels were turning in her head, and Severus could see that.  
“You... you think that I am... I am one of these Celestials? Like what she was?” She looks from him, to Iznog, then down at the photo.  
“I don’t think you are, Honey, because you are one. Also a high possibility that, though you were given the name Honey Michelle, as it was placed on the legally binding birth certificate, which is a strong and must have requirement, to hide the facts of who and what you are, and the reason for this is because your powers are blocked, as you’ve said so yourself,” Iznog explains. “Not the first time, nor the last time, things like this have happened due to this law, I may add.”

“How was this even possible?” Severus asks who had also had the wheels turning, looking rather scrupulous at what was unfolding, and light bulbs going off as a result on numerous indications that led up until at this moment.  
_‘Why hadn’t I figured it out before?’_ he thought to himself; even his own intuition was on to something about the girl who was now his wife, only it was hidden from him – why was it hidden from him, only to be exposed now?

There was a knock on the door, so Iznog goes to answer, while Odbert gives the clarification. “Various means of ensuring that such activity is never discovered and exposed, because we all know that it is actually illegal to hold a Celestial against her will in order to procreate, she must have given consent to be bonded to her mate... which is how the Marriage Law and those who have turned it for the corrupt power trip that it is now, to get around that little obstacle... and most Celestial reach the start of their fertility the same age as human girls, which is how the Ministry of Magic in the United Kingdom, and a few other countries, have been keeping the old rules, compared to the countries who have either moved the Betrothed Bride’s age of marriage to between sixteen and eighteen, or scrapped it all together, depending on the region and beliefs and so on. Similar to the many other systems of rules and regulations and what is involved.”

“And so far no-one has been able to put a full on stop to it... or rather, is willing to help put a stop to it,” spoke a new voice.  
Standing in the Head Banker Goblin’s office was a tall, sleek, well built man, wearing an extremely dashing suit, slick black hair and eyes as dark as dark can go – darker than Severus’s own pair. Perfect chiselled face and presenting this aura of charm, finesse and something much deeper. His voice was sophisticated and elegant, but there was a hint of sadness within, too.  
“Hello, Severus,” he speaks, small smile on his sharp lips.  
Severus was stunned to see him.


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Speaking of the Devil....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I have mentioned Lucifer is very loosely based on the television series, so keep this in mind in the following content.  
> (Also starting to slowly get back into the swing of writing after being made to step away for a while).

Chapter 3

“Lucifer,” said Severus.  
The door to the office closes; Iznog returns to the desk.  
An understanding expression was etched on the newcomer’s face.  
“It has been a very long time, Severus, and I do admit, I had not expected this turn of events to be the one that reunites us, but at the same time, oddly glad it has.”  
“But... I didn’t know...” Severus goes to say.  
Lucifer holds his hand up, stopping him; there was no malice, no anger, if anything, the only thing that Severus could detect from the man he had known since being shown a new way, plus certain truths about who he really was, was relief, gratefulness and knowing.  
“You wouldn’t have, because of the way things are, and have been for a very long time, too long in my opinion.”

His eyes glide over to Honey, undoubtedly confused and displaying just how much she did not know how to conduct herself, except to just sit in the chair she was in and not say a word, however she was also doing all she could to hide her trembling. She wasn’t looking at the newcomer, only at her wherever ahead and quiet tears streaming.  
“When I saw the sparrow had appeared with the cobra in the grapevines, and got the message from Burgock that a Celestial has been found and that it was in my best interest to come, being that it was a strong hunch, I could not ignore it.”

“I... I was t-told to-to pick a... a... um... symbol, whatever that is,” Honey’s soft unsteady voice speaks. “I was told that-that all B-B-Betrothed Brides must ch-choose one, so that it goes with the husband’s she is given to. I don’t know why, I just did what I was told.”  
“And you chose the sparrow?” Lucifer asks, observing deeply to the girl’s mannerisms and tone and more.  
Honey responds with a nod. “I... I always felt that they were special, I never knew why, I didn’t know what they were called until I met Severus during our second meeting.” Her cheeks flushed, feeling humiliated on just how little she really knew about anything. “I... I’m sorry... I...”  
“You are safe here,” Severus reminds her.  
“You chose the sparrow because you have a connection to the bird’s significance, being it was your mother’s emblem,” Lucifer tells her, sad affection lined his features and tone.  
“You knew my mother?”  
“I knew Lailah very well.”  
“Why are you here?”

She suddenly feels as though she had spoken out of term, and hung her head, quickly apologising, waiting for some ramification.  
Lucifer’s eyes flickered at this; he dared to ask exactly what had happened to have this girl be the way she was.  
The Potions Master chooses to speak to Honey, wishing to have her consent to say a single word to the other man, if she didn’t wish to speak herself.  
“Why are you asking me? You own -”  
“No, I do not.”  
Honey was given an explanation, more or less repeating what Odbert had said.  
“Celestials are not to be owned; there are harsh consequences of holding one captive. However, the cover ups and the like have been so over the top, it wouldn’t surprise me that there are a good number of Wizards, who don’t know this, or they do, they just won’t admit it,” Lucifer explains. “You are not to blame for this, either, Severus, being just as hoodwinked in this.”  
“It doesn’t really make me feel any better,” Severus replies.  
“But... I’m... We... I... The m-m-marriage law... Are we still...?”  
She doesn’t look at Severus, instead at the white gold ring with an obsidian and emerald flower upon her finger.  
Severus could feel his own personal self being torn a little at this.  
“Yes,” he answers.  
“But, that means you own me.”  
“I wish I understood the whole situation before this point, however, yes, we are bonded, but you are not owned by me, Honey, you never have been.”

Lucifer speaks up; “This Marriage Law that had been concocted by the Ministries of Magic around the globe is the trap they’ve used on every Celestial they’ve been able to capture and force into this; the problem is that there has been no proof of it, due to a myriad of reasons that even I cannot seem to bypass.” There was a note of irritation in his tone as he said it. “Never mind that this shouldn’t even be happening in the first place, even Amenadiel is at a loss on how to tackle the situation.”  
“Thankfully majority of the countries are starting to change their ways, or already have, it’s just a certain few that struggle with this archaic Law,” Iznog says.  
“Not all of them are deliberately targeting Celestials, though,” Lucifer points out to the Goblin.  
“But... How do you know I am a Celestial? I can’t even get do any magic!” says Honey. “I couldn’t connect with a wand.” She was doing her best to not tremble again. “Grandfather says it’s for my own good. If I tried to try anything that looked like I was doing anything, the Keepers would stop me and -”  
It was now when parts of the tea was spilled to Lucifer.  
Lucifer’s already darkened eyes went even darker; Severus had to help Honey by relaying what he had witnessed during his meets with Honey in the lead up to their Wedding Day, and afterwards, notably the days after their bonding, including now.  
“Yet the ones who still want for the practice to continue seem to be the ones who are ignoring the majority who want it stopped,” Severus continues, comforting Honey by holding her hand, and rubbing her back. “I do not think it is simply to kidnap and hideaway Celestials, either.”

“No, it wouldn’t be just for that reason, I am aware, but it does give a convenient excuse,” Lucifer agrees, before addressing Honey. “To answer the question, my dear girl, on how I know you are a Celestial, is simply because I am one myself, and we give off a slightly higher presence than most, even when we’re not even trying to; though, not all know when they are in the company of one. My theory as to why you didn’t pick up on this, Severus is because it was made so you weren’t meant to, until it was too late to change anything.”  
“How is that even possible?” Severus asks.  
“There are some theories to go with.”  
This confuses Honey. “What do you mean?”  
Severus and Lucifer give the other a glance and after a quick nod from Lucifer, Severus told Honey that he was a Celestial born Wizard.  
“My mother was a witch, she was also with Celestial genetics being from the Prince line, she became involved with another Celestial, but due to unforeseen circumstances, she was forced to become the wife of another, which is where I carry the name Snape from, perhaps the only few positives I could probably relive over the man who had no idea on just how much was sacrificed to ensure my safety until the time came for me to know.”  
“Is that what my mother was, a Celestial born Witch?” Honey timidly asks.

“Lailah was an Angel, a being that is perhaps more powerful than the average witch or wizard, and that’s not even bragging,” Lucifer replies, his voice tender and saddened at the same time. “She was a Celestial who certainly gave some of my siblings a run for their money at times, but they knew she was of worth.” There was a small tug at the corner of his lips at the visual memories that appeared before him. “The loss of your mother was deeply felt, along with many others who’ve had the misfortune of meeting the same to similar fates. Not to mention some of their children, including you, winding up in other peoples’ hands, being robbed of learning who and what they are.  
“We Celestials have been trying to find each and every one of the kidnapped Celestial children, but there are a few who are blocking us, and they know what they are doing has some grave consequences involved if they are caught out.”

“Have... have you f-found others?” Honey couldn’t help asking.  
Lucifer nods, again with mixed volumes; Honey read between the lines, she understood, deciding that if she was to know more details, she would do so when, or if, she was ready to know, if this man was willing.  
“Is... is that why you are here? Because of Iznog knowing what I was?”  
“One of the reasons,” said Iznog.  
“Iznog, along with a great deal of others have been on the lookout out for one Celestial in particular,” Lucifer explains. “That Celestial being you.”  
“Why me?”  
Unable to withhold the information any longer, Lucifer told her straight out. “Because your mother was my mate and you are my daughter.”  
Honey justifiably wasn’t sure how to handle this news.  
“How do you know I am your daughter?”  
A fair question by any and all standards.

“Only the blood of the Morningstar and Ezekiel Heir would have erased the false name that was on the birth certificate,” Iznog responds, picking up the finely decorated parchment paper; Severus noticed that the places of where the ‘mother and father’ details should have been, (which had been blanked out from even his own viewing until now), were gleaming brightly across the sections. “Your parents created this fail safe, along with many other Celestials who’ve had children born to them, because of the back dealings and so on that is still going on to this very day.”  
Honey stares at the paper, wishing she knew how to read it, the desire was written plain on her face.  
“Is... is my name even Honey Michelle?”

Lucifer shakes his head. “No,” he replies. “However, you do have the choice of having the name you were given at birth, or the name you go by now,” he pauses for a moment, “Or you can create a whole new name for yourself, if you wish to.”  
Honey thought it over. “Have you changed your name at all?”  
“I have, I was known as Samael at one time; these days I am more familiar with Lucifer. Though, many people will refer me as other titles, which I will not go into right now.”  
The air of truth laced throughout his words. Something that Honey had picked up on from the start of this man’s arrival.  
“What is my name if it is not Honey Michelle?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is Honey's actual name?  
> Choose your first 5 favourites in the following list below.
> 
> 1\. Katriel  
> 2\. Deanna  
> 3\. Shiloh  
> 4\. Taniel  
> 5\. Rachel  
> 6\. Tansy  
> 7\. Amira  
> 8\. Freya  
> 9\. Sarah  
> 10\. Jophiel  
> 11\. Alana  
> 12\. Trinette  
> 13\. Verity  
> 14\. Annika  
> 15\. Calista
> 
> Does she continue with the name Honey or changes to birth name? Or does she change her name completely?
> 
> A) She stays with Honey Michelle Snape (Prince)  
> B) Goes with the birth name (Snape/Prince)  
> C) Changes completely - choose an extra from the list above
> 
> Voting will end on Sunday, 7-June, Australian Eastern Standard Time


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honey learns her real name and is about to be given a choice.
> 
> Lucifer pays someone a little visit afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out that a few other contenders for names came up.
> 
> Ashlyn was originally going to be Aisling, but wasn't sure if people would pronounce it as Ashlyn, so I went with the spelling that would help better.
> 
> Deanna was one of the names that had a vote next to it and it worked best as a middle name.

Chapter 4

“Your birth name is Ashlyn Deanna Morningstar.”  
Honey quietly thought on this new revelation; still wishing she could read, let alone spell, this name she originally had, before the name she had now.  
“How did I end up with Honey Michelle? How did I end up in that place?”  
“You were snatched away in a moment we let our guard down,” Lucifer tells her mournfully. “We didn’t know who took you, or where you had ended up, for whoever had done it knew how to cover their tracks all too well. Not even dear Dad was all that cooperative,” he made a face at this. “Even my brother, your Uncle Amenadiel, is reluctant from time to time when it comes to our father’s lack of help or guidance to help have you returned to where you belonged; along with any other Celestial born for that matter.”  
It was fair to say Honey didn’t have much of a clue what this man was even on about, speaking hesitantly up on this.

“I just learned that my name isn’t actually Honey, but Ashlyn, and you are telling me that you are my father. For all my life I have only known Albus Dumbledore to be my Grandfather. Why was I taken away? What happened?”  
There was hesitancy from both Lucifer and Severus.  
“When it feels right, you will be told what truly happened,” Lucifer replies. He genuinely did want to tell her all, but learning what her life was like, and seeing the effects before him, laying such information on her right now would have been too much; finding out her real name, what she was and who he was to her was sufficient for the time being.  
Honey’s head buzzed; Severus gave her hand, which hadn’t let go from moments before, a gentle squeeze, sensing her want to speak, but she was tentative in materialising the right words.

Iznog tactfully spoke up. “There is also the matter of removing the blocks and restraints that have been keeping you from your powers.”  
“But... I...”  
“You have a right to your magical core, like any other,” Severus tells her strongly.  
Trickling waves of comfort that she couldn’t explain coursed through her, but it made her feel something she hadn’t remembered much in receiving growing up; safe.  
“The thing is, the matter of how to do such removal is a delicate one, because all cores are different, with varying ounces of power, if released too much, too soon, it can backfire and have harsh consequences, because it had been suppressed instead of being allowed to thrive and grow with the being who harnesses it,” Iznog explains, having Lucifer nod and say that this is correct.  
“Today, we are simply going to banish a small proportion of the blocks, enough to release the flow and it will allow you to adapt within your own time. After that, one of a few things will happen, depending on how things go. One is another portion will need to be aided away, the other is that your own core will ebb away at what had been keeping it down, or both.”

“I’m not worth the trouble,” Honey mumbles, not looking at Iznog, or anyone else in the room; the words that had been fed to her for so long, over and over again bubbling in her mind.  
“You’re of more worth than you’ve been made to believe, Ashlyn... or Honey, whichever you decide in going by now that you know your true name,” says Severus.  
“I am afraid of making people angry with me.”  
“The only people who are going to be angry are the ones brainless enough to believe that I wasn’t going to make sure you were protected and well cared for!” Severus fiercely and sensitively tells her. “Part of that is allowing you to understand that what they did to you, what they are doing to others, is counterproductive to what they are hoping to achieve and continue along with something that should have been moved away from years ago, if not kept in the last century, or at least the turn of the last one.”

“Another would be the fact that they chose the wrong Celestial parent to kidnap from,” Lucifer adds, his eyes flash for a split second, but Honey had lifted her head just enough time to see it. To her surprise, it didn’t frighten her, if anything it gave this unfamiliar sense of something familiar, like a distant memory that she could not recall, for it was so buried within and scrambled. “Mind, they picked a lot of wrong Celestials to take from, of course.”  
“But, I am scared,” Honey whispers, again not looking at anyone.  
“What are you scared of?”  
“I have not been allowed to know things for so long, and I always believed that it would continue to be that way, and I am afraid of what I could do... or would do; I don’t know if I am ready to know, even with permission.”  
She was shaking again, anxious of being in trouble; her old life still deeply mingled within, even after a few days into this new one she was leading, with new information she had been permitted to, by people who are, for the first time for as long as she could even remember, being honest... and not forcing her to believe otherwise, without repercussions.

Iznog makes a small clear of the throat. “Perhaps, if I may, speak a suggestion?”  
“I have hardly dismissed you before, Iznog,” Severus replies.  
“Nor I,” says Lucifer.  
“Majority of what has been required has been done today, in regards to securing Lady Prince’s accessibilities to all that is now entitled to her, upon your request. The bindings protect and ensure that - regardless of whether she has access to her core, or not – no-one can overtake Honey’s claim, now that she is officially next of kin.  
“I speak this due to the possible suggestion that we can wait until Honey, herself, feels she is ready and willing to gain access to her own magical core full time, the most we can do, if she is willing, we can instead of doing the complete rituals to pull always the blocks permanently, we can have them cleared for a set time, think of it as a sample, to let her test the waters, find her own capabilities and comforts within them, before doing a full transaction.”

“Have you done this before?” Severus asks the Goblin.  
Iznog confirms; “Honey - or Ashlyn – is not the first to have displayed the uncertainty she is feeling; coming from an abhorrent environment to learn there is more to life and is freer than what she had been subjected to, or made to believe. I doubt she would be the last.  
“Each and every one of them were different in how they wanted to reunite with their cores, Lady Prince is no different.”  
The Head Goblin was mostly addressing this to Honey; she was listening, and by the way she was looking, she still didn’t know what to say or think.  
“Would you be willing to try?” Severus then asks Honey.  
Honey’s brain was in near overload; she had so much wanted to... and now... she...  
Ever slow, but noticeable, she nods her head.  
“Very well, Odbert can you gather what is required if you please, and quickly.”  
“Yes, Iznog,” Odbert gives a quick bow and hurries off.

###

They had a big space made up within the office, where Honey had to stand in the centre and the others to the sides of the room.  
The ritual itself wasn’t as daunting as Honey thought it was going to be.

It was done with a large, specifically designed, transparent orb, with seven colours in a straight vertical line; each one was the colour of the rainbow, deep red at the bottom, violet at the very top with the rest of the colours in between. Honey stood with the orb placed on a pedestal in front of her, and when aligned perfectly, the orb beamed out the colours and encased the girl within the colourful lights.  
As the encasing happened, an imprint of Honey etched its way into the inner sphere, each of the seven colours covering her within – the deep red around her feet, orange around her hips, yellow had her solar plexus, and then green around the heart, followed by dark blue around her throat and next, violet at the very top of her head, the last to appear was the indigo light, shooting straight through the middle area of her forehead and eyes.

“What exactly is happening?” Severus asks when it was over; Honey just sat on the floor, quiet, seeming to be analysing what is happening to her, and what was probably still happening as they spoke.  
“Each colour within the orb represents a part of the body, no matter the species the chakra alignment is relatively all the same. The orb first takes a sort of outline of the person, or animal, once it knows what it is looking at the lights begin to extend out to encase the person, and immediately begins to identify and clear whatever has been in place to cause the restrictions,” Iznog explains.

When the lights had completely encircled her, from the top of her head to her tippy toe, Honey could feel a tingling sensation coursing through, quickly turning into a more pulsation that looked to be tugging through, it was here when she saw the rainbow colours being mixed with what could be described as a different version of the colours already encasing her.  
The deep blue was turning into a blue black; the orange looked to be more of brown sludge colour, and so on.  
This was all pulled into the orb, until the colours returned to the way they were at the start; when the colours lifted away from her, Honey buckled, it was luck she was already sitting, making the fall less heavy.  
Severus hurried over to her; Iznog assuring that she will be alright, that the process can take it out on the person.

“You can be rest assured that the Lady Prince will notice a significant shift in more than just her ability to reach her magical core; be prepared for that. The unblocking will last for a whole month, today being the thirtieth of August, Honey will have until the thirtieth of September to decide to have her powers permanently reachable, or she can return to have restrictions until she is ready to have them in full.  
“Each has been different in how they have handled their change; your wife will be no different.”  
“What happens now?” Severus asks, he had been gentle in lifting Honey from the floor, and had her leaning against him.  
“Best to take her home, Severus, whatever else that may have been planned for the day will probably need to wait,” Lucifer advises.  
“You may use our special Portkey to go straight there, saves you exiting to where it would be quite busy at this time of day, now,” Odbert offers, knowing the Head Banker Goblin would have been suggesting the same thing.  
Seeing that Honey was in no fit state to do anything right now, it was for the best.

###

The sound of the little bell over the door being bumped travelled through the shop; Ollivander came out from around some shelving to see who had entered his shop.  
Standing in the waiting area was a tall man wearing elegant robes of deep blue, the silver of the stars almost matching the long hair and beard. Peering out from a pair of half-moon glasses were brilliant blue eyes, sitting upon a crooked nose.  
“You have sent for me, Garrick?”  
Ollivander did not expect him so soon.  
“Yes, Albus, I thought that it was best that I tell you in person, rather than by owl. Severus Snape was in here earlier, just before busy peak period, he had the new Bride with him... wanting to give her a wand.”  
Albus Dumbledore was quiet.

“None of the wands that were tested have connected with her!” Ollivander quickly added, seeming to want to assure the old wizard.  
“That is good to hear, Garrick, just as I am glad that you have told me of this. Have they returned to try again?”  
“No, I haven’t seen them for the rest of the day, I am unsure if they’re going to come back again tomorrow.”  
“If they do return, under no circumstances are you to allow for my granddaughter to receive a wand,” Dumbledore instructs.  
“But the laws state that Severus Snape owns her now, not you!” Ollivander interjects, hesitant on the mere idea of the thought of going against the owner of a Bride, especially one like Severus Snape.  
“And you and I both know what she is! So long as she remains unknowing of that the better for all concerned, Garrick!”

The Wand-maker shuddered at the volume of which Dumbledore spoke, calm, but ever so chilling.  
“But, Severus Snape would insist and I cannot refuse any tarnish of my reputation as a top maker and seller of wands, you know what would happen if I lose that position.”  
“I would be more concerned than a mere tarnishing, or have you forgotten your promise to me?”  
“N-no!” Ollivander almost yelps with a gulp.  
“Then you will make sure that none of your wands end up in Honey’s possession, believe me I will know if you went against this.”  
Ollivander knew that it was best to not go against Albus Dumbledore.  
“What will happen if they take their business elsewhere?”  
“How many other Wand-makers are there in Great Britain?”  
“There is more than just Great Britain; even I know that, Albus.”  
The glare from the older wizard was enough to send shivers down Ollivander’s spine.  
“You will also inform me the moment they step into your store if they do return.”  
Ollivander simply sighs and nods to agree.

“Now... why would be any of your concern if this girl you’re talking about has a wand, or not?”  
Both Wizards jumped or startled, turning to see the figure standing at the door of the shop – neither had heard the bell tingling, let alone footsteps.  
“You are aware that it is rude to eavesdrop in other people’s conversations,” Dumbledore speaks, frowning and his brilliant blues glowering at the attire he happened to be wearing.  
Dark red and black robes with fine etchings of flames in sky blue and gold to give extra detail, and looked to soften, or deepen the wearer’s appearance, depending on how you saw his sleekness and charm.  
“Bit difficult when you weren’t paying attention to the fact that another person had entered the store and heard how threatened by someone who really shouldn’t be of your concern anymore,” the tone the man spoke was somewhere between cheek and grim  
“As if you have any notion or impression in what, or who, we are speaking about,” the silver heard wizard calmly said.

The sleek man’s lip curled a little, where part of his teeth was shown. “Bit like how I should not know that you are a liar and a thief, Albus Dumbledore. I now know more than I had before and I would suggest that you will no longer worry yourself with Honey Snape, or should I say... Ashlyn Deanna Prince now... where she is only Snape on necessary grounds, like the man she has become wedded... and bonded to.”  
Dumbledore did his best to not fumble at this, but his eyes widened for a split second; enough to be noticed, which had the other man grin even more.  
Ollivander clears his throat. “May I help you?”  
“You already have,” said the sleek man, before he turned to exit.  
“Wait a minute!” Dumbledore raises his voice. “Just who do you think you are?”  
Pausing his hand on the hand, not turning to look at the older, knowing what he would see if he did.  
“Do the names Samael and Lailah ring any bells?”  
He exits straight on out of Ollivander’s shop, with the door’s bell ringing as it closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The later chapters are likely to be starting to go up and down in the darker range, just to give a heads up.


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of talking...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay in updating any stories of late, been rather hectic here in reality world, where my priorities had me putting writing on the backburn.  
> I hope you are all safe and well during these crazy times. So far I have only done two chapters for this story, however, I am on the intent on catching up with a few of the others that are yet to be sorted out.  
> (Plus there have been a few stories that have been updated that I am yet to read, and am dying to dive in ^_^ )

Chapter 5

“You found her?”  
Lucifer rolled his eyes at the words his brother, Amenadiel just spoke out. Hadn’t he just said that Ashlyn had been found?  
“Yes, brother, she has.”  
The eldest Angel could sense his younger brother’s mood.  
“Tell me,” he suggests, not demanding, but wanting to be aware.  
Lucifer looks at Amenadiel right in the eye and tells him what he had learned.

“Our theories on how so many of our Celestial children have been forced to bond and stay with their captures has been confirmed,” he explains mournfully. “They are being tricked into consenting, because they’re in the belief they are ordinary witches under the old archaic law that forces them to be wedded to wizards in order to keep magic lines going, with the various Ministries still participating in these practices encouraging it, hoping to become a pure magical race, or something along those lines.”

Amenadiel exhales deeply at this, shaking his head with dismay, as much he wished it wasn’t happening, (being that it was only theories when trying to figure out what was going on in the first place), he had been in a form of knowing, now hearing it confirmed, it was still a dagger to the heart and a kick to the guts. What hurt just as much was that their father had done almost nothing to intervene in this... or had he?  
“Maybe... maybe finally finding your daughter is the branch Father has given us to be able to start freeing the children of the Angels?”  
Lucifer’s upper lip turned a little, almost like a scoff, but not a complete one, as he had a particular way of looking where Amenadiel knew he was perhaps, maybe, not fully, considering that possibility.  
The wedge between the Second Born son and the Father was still too deep; often a prickly subject.

“Severus will keep her safe, Lucy,” Amenadiel does add, wanting to bring better ease to the idea of what has been happening, and what is likely to come.  
“I have no doubt about that, brother. Since I have been watching over him since finding him in that god awful place,” said Lucifer, not at all caring if he used their father’s name in vain. “Teaching him what he now knows and understands of himself... I believe some people are going to regret their decisions in uniting a Prince with the Heiress of Hell.”  
Not often did Lucifer always seek joy in his position of being King of Hell, better known as the Devil and all that; he had always questioned why Lailah would have chosen him to bond with, yet on the flip side counted his many blessings and luck on having an Ezekiel as his wife and bearer of their one and only child.  
A daughter Lucifer had been denied in finding for all these years because someone knew how to get around certain measures that have been in place for eons, and then abusing that privilege and...

Oh how it hurt to not have had the chance to teach Ashlyn Deanna the reigns of what is essentially her underworld Kingdom. While it was unknown if she had the traits of her mother’s linage, being known prophets and their messages coming out in various ways, if they are not with the gift of soothsayer, they had other gifts to fall back on to guide them through, for they know that not all can be seers, it was still a heartache to know how much Ashlyn had suffered growing up.

Lucifer wanted very much to have her know everything, but he did not want to overwhelm the poor girl who was only just starting to learn what freedom truly was. While there was no doubt in his mind Ashlyn would grow and bloom beautifully into what she should have been already had not been for this delay, she needed to find her feet before diving into anything that could potentially send her backwards into that shell Severus had begun to help crack her out of. He wanted her to be ready first; Amenadiel would wish for the same – for he had been extra protective of his niece when she entered the world, and had been searching for her for as long as Lucifer had been.

“Do you know what Severus has in mind in helping Ashlyn?” Amenadiel then asks.  
“I have sent him a few... er... references to look into a couple of hours ago,” Lucifer replies.  
Raising an eyebrow, Amenadiel figured what he meant.  
“Are you sure that is wise?”  
“I wouldn’t have spoken otherwise, Amenadiel, and you know I don’t lie.”  
“How will that be possible with the distance and all?”  
“Brother, there are ways around things, even you know that.”

###

Severus was patient in waiting for Ashlyn to regain her consciousness, and assured her that she was still very much safe when she did.  
“How are you feeling?” he also asks her.  
She analysed herself before answering. “I didn’t know I would feel like this.”  
“In what way?” Severus asks her, willing for her to speak it.  
“I don’t know how to describe it,” she still felt timid over such conversation.  
“Try.”

Severus wanted her to dig in deep and bring out the girl, or young woman, she deserved to be. Be that she decides to continue with the name of Honey, or embrace her original name of Ashlyn; to which she was yet to address; and in doing so finds herself and who she is, not who someone else wanted her to be.  
Again, she thought on her words. “Like something that has been missing has been found?” she guessed, unsure if that was the right way to phrase it.  
He understood her meaning.  
She furrows her brow a little, not looking at Severus directly, seeming deep in thinking; he silently observes, allowing her the space to figure what was going on inside her mind.

“What do I do now?” her tone laced with insecurity, looking at him, needing, or wanting, some guidance.  
“We take things slow,” Severus tells her, ever patient and kind. “Perhaps we can start with you deciding which name you’d rather be addressed as.”  
“Does it matter? I’m still your proper-”  
She gets caught off by him leaning in and placing a firm kiss on forehead, feeling one of his hands cupping her chin; a soothing sensation washes over her, followed by this other warmth she felt before, back at Gringotts.

“You were illegally held and tricked into believing something you were not. You are not my property; you are my mate, to which you’ve unwittingly consented into and we have become bonded,” his head softly resting on hers for a moment before kissing it again and pulling back enough to peer into her grey-tinged-blues. “My offer in you having your own room still stands, the name you wish to go by is your choice and you will be able to pursue whatever it is you have been denied and would like to trial and accomplish in.”  
“You really mean it?”  
“I am as honest now as I have been for the last few days, even before that, I want to earn your trust, and I want you to enjoy the freedoms you probably never thought you would have, had I been someone else entirely.”  
Severus could see her musing over this.

“I... I don’t know which name I want to go by, I’ve always answered to Honey,” she speaks in her soft tone, crinkling her brow a little in extra thought. “I’m unfamiliar with my real name, and... I don’t want to have people not like me if I go by one, but not the other.”  
“By people, you mean people such as your grandfather?”  
She nods timidly. “And... the man who said he was my actual father... and you.”  
Shaking his head, the Wizard tells her that Lucifer would understand either which way, and he, himself, will go with whichever she felt most comfortable.  
“As for the man who proclaimed to be your grandfather, he can go jump into a pit full of pikes for all I care.”  
“What is a pike?”  
“Long stick like poles that stand up straight and have points at the ends.” A simple and easy explanation.  
His wife tries to picture this and watches her eyebrows go up when she figures it out, then makes a face.  
“Wouldn’t that hurt?”  
“That is generally the consensus,” Severus answers, then thinks of the word he just said, adding with; “Consensus is another way of saying agreement, or similar.”  
“Oh.”  
“Point is you don’t worry about him and what he would say, as he has none.”

After nibbling her lower lip, she softly says; “I... I guess I would like to... to... to go with my real name? It... it sounds like a real name... not that Honey isn’t a real name, and I kind of still like it, but...” she was waffling and stammering, but she was very much understood in what she was saying.  
With a kind tone and equally caring expression, Severus suggested; “Perhaps, if you like this suggestion, Ashlyn would be the name you go by in all day to day living, and Honey can be used as a term of endearment?”  
“Endearment means something nice, yes?”  
“In simple terms, yes it does, it’s another way of saying affection or love.”  
Ashlyn understood well enough and her pink lips tips a little, forming a mini smile, which brings an identical one to Severus’s own.  
“Well, Ashlyn, why don’t we spend the rest of today doing something you would like to do?”

The very proposal of choosing an activity was almost overwhelming, but after she was now starting to feel this almost foreign, yet familiar sensation, one where it seemed to allow her to consider a little more confidence than what she had ever felt before; Ashlyn thought of what she really would wish to do, and one idea came to mind.  
“Am... am I still able to try for a wand?” she dared.  
The already small smile on Severus’s face widened a little more. “We could go back to Ollivander’s again tomorrow, or I could send for a wand-maker to come in person with a collection of wands to try out, though it can take a while for one to come by.”  
Ashlyn thought about it. “Are other wand-makers allowed to come to Great Britain?” she asks.  
“Yes,” Severus said. “They do have a business to uphold, and the Ministry allows for fair competition in the industry of making a tool that connects with the one worthy enough to wield it.”  
“I would like to not see Ollivander if possible?”  
Severus said he would make the arrangements to message three different makers that he knew would likely to help.  
At this point the girl felt her stomach rumble, causing her to go a pale flush of pink.  
“I think I am hungry,” she mutters.  
“Well, it is lunchtime,” says Severus. Then he had an idea. “Have you ever seen a movie before?”

Ashlyn shook her head, curious to know what he was talking about, Severus gently takes her by the hand and leads her out of the Master suite and into a different location of the Manor, on the lower floor, where she had not yet fully seen during the tours taken thus far, (for a manor, it felt like a castle or palace), where there were a set of magnificent large, but boring, wooden doors, even the knobs were dull.  
Straight away, he could see her mind analysing the blank surface, thinking... wondering... plotting.  
On the other side of the doors Ashlyn’s eyes were almost like saucers when she saw the layout.  
Dark walls all around, with one of them sporting a very large screen, and placed neatly on the opposite side of the room, facing the screen was a very comfy looking sectional style modular couch, which included chaise and recliner. On both sides of the couch were little tables and in front a coffee table.

“Not very... um...” Ashlyn went to say, but didn’t really know how to form the words without feeling as though she was going make Severus mad at her. “Exciting?”  
“I will admit that most of the rooms, including this one, don’t have much in terms of decorations and style,” Severus tells her. “The only real rooms that have been kept up, as you’ve seen for yourself, are the Master suite, kitchen, formal dining room and my office library, and various parts of the garden.”  
“Why?”  
Severus shrugs. “I never had much of a reason to; as I only really use the rooms I require and most of the time it’s for basic or important necessity.”

It was hard to not notice the examining expressions as Ashlyn looked around, seeming to be itching to change what she was seeing, but at the same time, still didn’t know if she ought to, she had just had the blocks taken down and she was slowly, slowly getting in touch with the side she had been denied.  
“Maybe, now that it is more than just me, now, unless you wish to count the House Elves, there is a good reason to change things up a little?” he suggests.  
That caused her to smile.  
Severus then goes over to a panel in the wall, moves it to the side to reveal a set of shelves with a small collection of movie and television shows; ranging from various categories to series and sagas.  
“Take your pick,” he offers.  
“There are so many!” she exclaims.  
He had to quietly remember that Ashlyn didn’t really know how to count past ten, so to her fifty was a pretty high number for her.  
With so many choices, and not even sure what to expect with any of these options, Ashlyn settles on the one that had a big round thing towering above a white building, with a fire streaming down from it.

“Independence Day,” Severus says, knowing Ashlyn wouldn’t know what the writing was saying.  
At first, he was sceptical on having her watch such a movie, even with its rating, but he had to remind himself that Ashlyn needed to grow, and if it meant allowing her to discover what she is going to be like with certain movies, especially since this would be her first actual movie, it would be wrong of him to say no. (Also to the simple fact that he didn’t exactly have really much in terms of stuff aimed toward her age – another stark reminder of things that caused another pang, though not as strong as it had been).  
Instead Severus simply said that a movie such as Independence Day isn’t complete without beverages and certain foods; including popcorn, nachos and a choice of flavoured fizz drink.  
“It’s not really a rule, more of a guideline,” he adds, not taking the genuine kindly smile off; it wasn’t long before Ashlyn was sitting beside him, investing in what she was seeing.  
She was fast in understanding the storyline and she giggled at dog running in, jumping on the bed and waking his owners. It didn’t surprise him that she would jump in particular areas and covered her face to look away, but not fully, using Severus as a sort of extra shield, he didn’t mind, for as a whole she did enjoy it.  
“Would you like to watch another?”  
“I thought you had things to do.”  
“It can wait.”

###

“You really have a true talent,” Severus comments, after he was quietly observing the strokes and lines created by the simple lead pencil upon the paper, done by the just as quiet and reserved Ashlyn seated on the floor of the Master suite at the coffee table, near the fireplace.  
Ashlyn stops and looks up at him, she had a feeling he was there, but was too absorbed in her work to pay much attention, and just wanted to escape, even for a moment, which resulted into the masterpiece that was now etched into plain view; a detailed set of flowers in a garden bed, with some of them losing their petals and wilting away, while others were still standing tall and bright, but were only starting to, ever so subtly turn and face the same fate as the ones that had begun to die before them; surrounding the flowers was rain clouds, but the rain coming from the clouds was going everywhere, except into the flowerbed.

“What does talent mean?”  
Severus explains; “It means you have a great ability to do something that some others may not, and this is the first time I have actually seen you do anything artistic, and you have stated that you do like to do such things as paint and draw, it is delightful to see you do something that you take pleasure in.”  
At first she did not know how to respond to the complement, but manages a smile, feeling good – a feeling that she didn’t get to feel often back there in the boarding house.

He sits on the sofa, assuring Ashlyn that she didn’t have to move off the floor and spoke of what she ought to know.  
“I have us meeting with a wandmaker next weekend, he’s a good friend of the Goblins and, unbeknown to Ollivander, has some of his stock safely tucked away in areas around the United Kingdom, and safeguarded by Goblins and a few extra hands to ensure that they are never viewed by those who would rather these wands never existed.”  
“I might be able to find my own wand?” Ashlyn asks, unable to fight her excitement, her eyes glistened, before she ‘remembered herself’ and tried to stuff that back down, only to have Severus kindly smile and tell her that finding her wand would be a strong possibility and she didn’t need to hide such enthusiasm from him, or anyone for that matter.  
“It’s natural to feel excited over such things,” he says. “The other thing is starting tomorrow, and throughout the next week or two, if you would be willing, we will be meeting some people who are willing to help you.”

“Help me?” Ashlyn didn’t hide her confusion. “In what way?”  
Severus explains further; “There may be some things that might be better to open up to someone other than myself, and process them without feeling obligated to share them with me, and knowing that the person helping has your best interests, as well as I... and the members of your Celestial family, who have no doubt been notified of your appearance.”  
“I’ve... I’ve never seen someone like that before,” her voice was soft, no looking at him, undecided whether it would be right to do such a thing. But... maybe... maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to give it a try, if Severus is suggesting it, and he wants her to be happy, and in being happy, he would be happy and that meant she would be doing her duty, and... Was it? Was it her duty?  
Only after these past few hours had passed did she truly question what she had been taught, and wasn’t feeling so afraid, and her senses were once again washed with a sense of calm, nurture and vibes that just protected her in a way she never remembered feeling in a very, very long time.

“Only if you feel it may help you, and you can send the sessions at any time,” Severus advises her.  
Ashlyn understood, asking if there was anything else she needed to know.  
Severus hesitated for a moment, debating whether to tell her.  
All of a sudden an owl came zooming on in and dropping a blaring red envelope right on the table; the mere sight of it caused Ashlyn to cover her ears and squeezing her eyes shut tight, putting herself into a sort of upright ball as her knees were drawn up.  
Knowing that it wouldn’t have mattered if the envelop was opened or not, Severus quickly joined Ashlyn upon the floor and wrapped his arms around her just as the Howler exploded itself open;

>   
>  _IF I SEE YOU WITH A WAND OR LEARNING THINGS THAT ARE NOT FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE, YOU SHALL REGRET IT!  
>  HOW DARE YOU CHANGE YOUR NAME WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!  
>  YOU ARE NOT A LADY, YOU ARE A BREEDER!  
>  YOUR PURPOSE IS TO BREED!  
>  NOTHING MORE! NOTHING LESS!  
>  YOU WILL DO AS YOU HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED!  
>  IF YOU DO NOT..._  
> 

The letter stops and rips itself up, leaving the girl shaking in terror, rocking back and forth, even though she was now enveloped in her husband’s secure arms, assuring her that she was safe, Ashlyn said flat out that she didn’t want to get a wand, and she was a bad girl for thinking she could ever have such a privilege, reverting a little backwards – not fully – to where she wouldn’t return to her amazingly detailed drawings, believing that she didn’t deserve the reward for doing something nice.  
It took for the rest of the night for Severus to have Ashlyn settled down, drawing her into their marital bed, keeping her held until she was fast asleep – with a little help from a calming draught and a potion that provoked pleasant dreams, pushing out any and all nightmares, (he wanted her to see nice things, even within REM sleep, instead of just nothing, which is what dreamless brew would have provided had it been used instead).  
He didn’t tell her of the letter that had come after the Howler, well after she was off in the land of nod, which was addressed to him. He scrunched it up the moment he had read three times just to be sure it was correct.  
Oh... How pissed off Severus was. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next swung mostly on Severus and Ashlyn, but will be sorting out how to bring Lucifer and company in a little more, too.  
> Again, it's very, very loosely based on Lucifer's character from the television show, but not entirely, he is still suave and however, just... well... I am having trouble finding the words.


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talks of how to work things out, and sort of a 'screw you' to Dumbledore by the staff of Hogwarts.

Chapter 6

Thankfully convincing Ashlyn to get out of bed and get dressed wasn’t difficult the following morning, doing the usual of picking out various items for her to choose from to wear, as she was still stuck in the overwhelming task of choosing for herself – but is getting much better at it already, for she didn’t seem to feel like either of the choices in the robes, opting for a nice subtle silvery blue set instead, a huge leap from where she was before, but she did appreciate the less pressure of the shoes and other accessories; placing her hair up in a simple ponytail with the silver coloured scrunchie, which matched the silver shoes she seemed to have started to favour mostly over the other pairs that have been suggested thus far, and going as far as asking Severus to help he with the clasp of one of the necklaces – something she hadn’t done before in any form of jewellery until now.

“Nice choice,” he complements.  
Ashlyn gives a nervous smile at this. It was plain to see that the Howler was still playing on her mind, but she was trying to make an effort. She didn’t know who she was making the effort for, exactly, but the simple wanting to go along with her trialling for the possible chance of connecting with a wand was enough for Severus to know that she was trying, truly trying.  
Especially in the spontaneous picking of a different set of robes and the beautiful white gold necklace with a crescent moon, accompanied by a single amethyst perched at the very inner of the bottom tip.  
A quick breakfast was done and dusted before Severus had Ashlyn whisked in a sideline Apparation, finding themselves in a quaint little village, not too far off from the village loomed a magnificent castle, gleaming proudly with its turrets and walls.

The strangest sensation came over Ashlyn when she saw the castle; unable to place the reasoning over it, she pushed it aside and asked where they were.  
Severus noted that she had just caught sight of the castle; seeing the small glimmer of unknown recognition glide over her face for a millisecond, before going back to curious of her surroundings.  
“We’re in Hogsmeade Village, and as you have noticed, that is Hogwarts,” Severus answers.  
The girl looks around, not seeing anybody around.  
“We have a little meeting to attend at the Three Broomsticks,” her husband then adds on to erase her confusion, only to have her still puzzled.  
"We?" she says.  
"There is someone I would like you to meet and she is one I would trust to help."

Walking to the tavern didn’t take long; Severus could feel Ashlyn doing all she could to not bolt the moment they entered, his hand gently taking hers to assure her.  
“Good morning, Severus, you’re early as well, I see,” spoke a curvy woman with a pretty face and curly ash blonde hair.  
“Is Minerva here already?”  
“Yes, she is, she’s in one of the private booths wouldn’t even stay to chat and state why she was even here,” Rosmerta replies, sounding a little indignant. “Don’t suppose you could tell me?” Her eyes were surveying the girl standing next to Severus, only to rethink of what she was perhaps thinking when she glimpsed the glowering dark eyes of the Potions Master.  
“That is business for Minerva and me, Rosmerta.”  
“Show off the new Bride, too, I can imagine?” the Innkeeper blurts out.  
“You mean introduce her to Lady Prince or Lady Snape? Whichever name people prefer,” Severus silkily speaks; his hand moved from Ashlyn’s to be able to move the arm around to across her back, making a real statement enough to be seen.  
“Lady?” Rosmerta choked with surprise. “But... she’s...”  
Severus cuts the Innkeeper off by leading Ashlyn toward the area that was more at the back of the tavern, where there were several private areas, telling the woman that he had no time to speak to anyone who displays such rudeness.

The booths were more like little private rooms that reminded Severus of the departments on Hogwarts Express, only there were actual tables in here and more leg room, and instead of doors, there were curtains that could be drawn to a close.  
Seeming to be in a form of right timing, the top half of a woman wearing elegant emerald green robes and a tight bun upon her head stuck out of the furthest one, her piercing eyes set behind a pair of rectangle framed glasses softened when she saw them approaching, a kind smile etching on her lips.  
“I was starting to worry,” she says.  
“Whatever for, Minerva?” Severus counters. “Nothing was going to keep us from coming, not even a Howler.”  
This surprised the woman. “Who...?” she went to ask, only to stop at the raising of the eyebrows, knowing right then she had her answer, causing her to shake her head, pursing her lips. She looks at the girl beside Severus. “I can imagine the fright.”  
Ashlyn didn’t know how to reply, only nodding meekly, holding her tongue.  
Minerva McGonagall drew back into the booth, Severus and Ashlyn joined her, sitting in the opposite seating.  
“Now, I am aware that you are yet to procure a wand, but that doesn’t mean we cannot do anything in the meantime to assist you in achieving the goals you have,” she goes on to say, drawing the curtain closed, and giving Ashlyn her attention.  
“How?” Ashlyn was nervous.

McGonagall was kind, firm and understanding as she spoke: “You wish to learn how to read and write? We can help you with that. Unbeknown to that man who claimed to be your grandfather, we’ve been against the whole Marriage Law business for years, decades even, but we’re forced to act complacent and approving because of the old rhetoric from those who wish to keep it going and most of us are forced to abide, because the moment a Witch or Wizard enters the realm of magic, no matter how, they are added into the registry without even uttering a word of consent or consideration.  
“We have been trying to help as many girls as possible, but thus far haven’t been as deep as we would like, as any time we have come close to gaining the proof and whatever else we need to get people to open their eyes and change the laws, everything crumbles and we’re back to square one.”

“And how am I any different to the ones before?”  
“You have a certain few... er... powerful allies who are keen to help,” Severus puts it a way she would understand. “It is also the simple fact that you are one of the few we’ve managed to get through in seeing what her own capabilities truly can be, or very much are, and have been allowed to express and practice them, which you are starting to see.  
“The man who falsely proclaimed to be a relation of any sort to you made the assumption that he knew what I would do, or would not, do when it came to you and how you are to be treated.  
“Granted, we do not fully know how things are going to truly pan out, but we are hopeful that we can save at least one girl, and help her in changing the tide, even just a little, it would certainly make a difference; that girl right now being you, Ashlyn.”  
“But what about...?” the girl trails off, unable to continue the question, fumbling with her hands, looking at some spot on the table, not really focusing, just trying to comprehend, and remembering the words from the Howler.  
“You pay no worry to him, Honey,” Severus tells her firmly, gently getting her to stop by putting his hand on hers.

“You have more rights than you are lead to believe, and what’s more, you’re part of a Noble name and line, now, something a lower ranking name is having a terrible time remembering due to his rising to be on top and meddle with anything he could get his hands on, which has him with various honours that can be equivalent to that of a Noble,” McGonagall adds with a gentleness she had honed after so many years of dealing with teenagers, which, in ways, delved into a maternal side she was able to use toward, being unable to have her own. “Plus, I will be damned if I allow someone dictate what someone should and shouldn’t do based on their genitals, especially when it is of certain ideologies that were born from, dare I say it, Muggles that somehow managed to intertwine with what was once an equal playing field.”

“It sort of still is, Minerva, just no in the way we would want them to be,” Severus points out.  
He spied the baffled look on his wife’s face and explained on how the first born male gets the inheritance before females, which never used to be that way until somewhere in the mid-to-late 1800s, when there was a spike in Muggleborns being born and eventually flooding some of the views on things, changing things up, much to the Purebloods’ disgust, and even more when they find they couldn’t change this to suit their ways; such as anyone who had only girls, the first male cousin would get the gold before they did, and so on and so forth.  
Severus had found a way around this cursed ruling, of course, he was a first born male, before him there was his mother, who was pretty much the sole one to get it, no males to come in and swoop in for the claim, (not that it didn’t stop others from barring her from what was rightfully hers by every account), but he didn’t want any of his future daughters, should they ever come along, to feel less important than any sons.  
This even included the woman taking her husband’s name, when before all of that it came down to one of two ways; if the Muggleborn is marrying the Witch and/or a Wizard, they take the Witch or Wizard’s name; however, if they were both a Witch or a Wizard they had the choice of which name they would choose to go under if they had the ability to change.

There wasn’t really any need to bring the Marriage Law and the divide that has on people, but it was skimmed over.  
“You said if they were both either a Witch or a Wizard?” Ashlyn chimed.  
“Same sex marriages are legitimate in the Magical World,” Minerva replies, giving Severus a small sympathetic glance, doing all to not make it seem obvious.  
The old Professor of Transfiguration had known about Severus Snape and Remus Lupin, and was one of the few who were invited to witness the marriage take place between them. She was, likewise, devastated when she learned of what had happened, and boy did she let Albus Dumbledore have it, and even more when she discovered why.  
The evidence was sitting right here opposite to her in the private booth of the Three Broomsticks.  
“Oh.”  
The girl, (though still unknowing of her husband’s past love life), didn’t give any look of repulsion, or anything similar, she was, if anything, the total opposite, accepting it for what it was.  
“Again, some ideologies have seeped into that, too,” Severus did his best not to sound contrite in his tone.  
“But are slowly changing back, or rather, hardly changed from what they were before,” McGonagall points out.  
Ashlyn was fiddling with her hands again, unsure how to speak her next line of words, when something within her inner eye flashed for a split moment, but enough for her to shudder quite visibly to have both Severus and McGonagall notice.  
“Are you alright?” her husband asks.  
“I can’t explain it well.”  
“Do your best.”

Encouraged to speak, the blonde girl spoke as careful as she could in saying that she ‘saw’ hooded creatures, they were floating about the village and castle. Giving as much detail as she could of how someone was going to be attacked, but she didn’t know who or where, but it was going to be close to the school, and that they were going to be hanging around for the year.  
McGonagall and Severus did what they could to not appear startled by this.  
“Has Albus spoken to you of what is going on lately?” Severus asks the Deputy Headmistress.  
Shaking her head, McGonagall answers: “Only that he has been having serious talks with the Minister of Magic, considering of the undeniable knowledge of Sirius Black’s escape from Azkaban, and the serious ramifications that could lead to.”

Ashlyn had heard of the notorious escapee, Sirius Black, getting out of the dreaded island prison, where many wizards and witches feared to go, Azkaban. She caught the slight flash within her husband’s eyes, but it was only for a mere second, unsure whether McGonagall had seen it, let alone ‘felt’ the dismay within the sudden second shift, before reverting back to the expression he had been sporting for most of the conversation thus far.  
However, she did feel very hesitant by it all, muttering that she was always told that she had a wild imagination, before she was forced to paint or draw whatever it was she apparently saw, and said ‘to be like a Cassandra’, to which she never understood the reference, afterwards she was disciplined for her ‘imagination’.  
Sometimes she drew or painting what she saw without anyone even telling her to, (and would still be reprimanded for it... even worse than what she would when she was made to do the artwork, because no-one was there to catch her doing it until it was too late).  
She didn’t meet anyone’s eye, feeling uncomfortable that she revealed even more of herself and her past.

The surprised expression was priceless on Minerva McGonagall’s face, unmissed by Severus who knew why, for he was of a similar wave length when it came to such things as... Seers...  
“How... how often do you get these wild imaginations?” the Deputy Headmistress gently asks.  
“I don’t know, they just happen, at least they used to, they went a way for a while, and I couldn’t draw or paint them anymore, but then this came and...,” Ashlyn explains; then furrows her brow a little. “Is... is there something wrong with me?”  
“Far from it,” Severus answers. “It appears that you have a gift that not many possess, at least, not in the fullest sense that could be classed as bona-fide. You are what the Wizarding World would call a Seer; other references come under Clairvoyant or Prophet; Soothsayer being another name. The ability to sense, and perhaps actually see, something happening before it happens.”  
“But, they don’t say when they are going to happen and... I don’t know how to say it when there is anything with letters and numbers in them because...”  
“That is why we are going to help you! Granted, learning that you are a Seer was a bit of a surprise, but it hasn’t changed anything in giving you the will to learn what you should have had the rights to,” Severus assures her, with McGonagall nodding with strong agreement.  
“While it will be a while before any wand studies can be done, there are plenty of other things to learn and practice on in the meantime,” said the elder Witch, her eyes were with a gentle fierceness that Ashlyn couldn’t help but like and seek a comfort within, ‘sensing’ her good soul and a maternal side that was being fulfilled in doing what was right by another young person who deserved the support.

They stopped at the sound of the sound of a polite tapping; McGonagall drew back the curtain to see Madam Rosmerta standing with a tray containing different beverages.  
“Perfect timing, thank you, I had ordered before you had arrived,” says the spectacled Witch, taking the tray, placing it on the table and thanking the Innkeeper before closing the curtains closed. She spied the girl’s worried expression. “Sound proofing private booths,” a glint of a smile on her thin mouth. “Not even Rosmerta can eavesdrop unless permitted to join.”  
“Which is a good thing to be frank,” Severus voices, retrieving his hazelnut flavoured coffee, he added a small amount of the cream that was offered, as he like how it made the hot drink a little more smoother and thick.  
But before he so much as takes a morsel of a taste, Severus pulls out a tiny phial, uncaps it and drips a single waterlike droplet into the liquid, following this action with McGonagall’s tea and Ashlyn’s hot chocolate  
“What does that do?” Ashlyn asks.  
“It is a simple potion that can detect anything that can be of harm in one shape or another,” Severus explains. “It’s one of my own little inventions and has never been wrong.”

“Something many fall short to learn, or bother to check, let alone bear in mind if they wanted to, is Severus being a genuine Master in the art of Potions and Dark Arts, and all that surrounds them, from defending against harmful spells and poisons, to, perhaps, the creating most unsavoury sort of elixirs and charms that most do not have the stomach for,” McGonagall speaks, before she sips her steaming hot tea, not bothering on the water’s temperature, knowing it had been cleared.  
“Amongst other little talents, I guess,” says the Potions Master, appreciating the compliment, yet not wanting to dwell on it too much. “Perhaps something I might teach you when you reach a level of being ready for such challenges.”  
A tiny glimmer of hope shadowed Ashlyn’s eyes, showing how much she was willing to prove herself, plus the fact that she was understanding more and more on how much she was being granted in terms of being allowed to do these things!  
Some not straight away, but in time...  
She never knew she could ever look forward to anything and be excited over it.  
“I’d like to try one day, when I can.”  
Severus had the encouraging smile and approving nod.  
“Well, before that, let’s get started in what shall be done now in the short term, to gradually get to the long term, shall we?” said McGonagall, now pulling out a self inking quill and notepad of parchment.

For a good while, long enough to require ordering a small lunch, McGonagall and Severus – who were shortly joined by Flitwick and Sprout, concocted the plan, with Ashlyn, to smooth transition her to the desire of learning how to read and write, do maths, and of course, magic.  
“The Headmaster doesn’t need to know,” Flitwick squeaks, tapping the side of his nose.  
“Speaking of, we best all start heading on up to the castle. Tomorrow night is going to a long slog as it usually always is, but the preparation for the entire first semester needs to be done before that,” said Sprout, looking at her little pocket watch.  
“You go on ahead, I wish to speak to Ashlyn alone, before we set foot in the school,” Severus pipes.

Without any disagreement, the other three Heads of Houses left the pair in the booth; the curtain is drawn shut, Severus making sure it was sealed, before looking at Ashlyn, who has her eyes shut, he could sense and feel her inner trembling, her wanting to please and behave... be a good girl; he telepathically transmits the calmness and warmth he had done before, an ability Celestials can carry out when they are with a mate, be it casual, or in this case, bonded.  
Though his wife hasn’t picked up on why she would be feeling these waves of serenity pulsing through her, she would be aware of them.  
He gently takes her hand; she opens her eyes as he reaches into the inner pocket of his robes and pulls out a small little velvet box.

“This is both a belated gift for you, as well as a tradition for all who enter the Prince family, be it via marriage, or birth, to receive one upon their thirteenth birthday. It took a little bit to find the style that suits you and compliments with your wedding ring,” he explains to her. “It is also a key to allow you to transport from Hogwarts, including here in Hogsmeade, straight to Snape Manor, and any other property that is owned by the Prince line.”  
Curious, and obviously didn’t expect this, Ashlyn took the box handed to her and opened it to find a beautifully cut white gold ring with diamonds and peridot in a patterned row, where in the very centre was a single garnet.

“Peridot is one of the stones for August, garnet it January's,” he tells her, observing on how she was analysing the ring still within the box.  
“Do you have one of these?”  
“There is a male equivalent, only I no longer wear mine.”  
“Why?”  
“First it was because I inherited everything, so the ring had to be changed to suit the purpose. Now that I have procured you, declaring you my wife, rendering me in a monotonous life, the ring had to change, too. I am unclear as to why the changes, but it is how the family made sure that all stayed as steady as possible, that is my theory.”  
In saying this, Severus pulls out yet another little velvet box and opens it to show Ashlyn his own newly procured ring, white gold band, garnet and diamonds, and three peridot gems squarely in the centre.  
“Another tradition?” she asks curious and wanting to understand.  
Severus answers her with a yes, and explains that having the birthstone of the spouse centred with the wearer’s birthstone was something to silently say they’re together, even when not.

“If you look closely, you will see that these are not like the rings we are currently wearing,” he tells her.  
At this, Ashlyn does see the carefully inscribed symbols on the inside of the bands.  
“What are they?”  
“A specially engraved message in an old language that is bestowed on bonded Celestials, similar to our Wedding vows, only these are stronger and they come after official bonding has commenced. It is where the term ‘eternity ring’ comes from. Due to that and the tradition of the Prince line, it was more prudent to combine the two traditions into one.”  
“I do not remember a time when I have been given something so pretty,” Ashlyn speaks; she then looks at her wedding ring. “Except...”  
Severus understood where she was coming from.

Carefully he takes the ring for Ashlyn from the box, gently retakes her left hand and just as carefully slips the ring on to the same finger as the wedding band.  
As the two rings touched, Ashlyn was surprised when she witnessed them carefully becoming intertwined and connected with a thin lining of yellow gold, where the obsidian and emerald flower looked like it was nesting above a garden patch of peridot and diamonds, with the single garnet could very well be the root or stem.

In return, Ashlyn, not needing any prompting or feeling pushed, placed Severus’s ring on; when it was met with the first white gold band, with the single obsidian and emerald, the similar to same thing happened, where the rings merged and the gemstones formed into what could be best described as the back of a hooded cobra, with the diamonds around the peridot, the obsidian had found its way into the middle of them, while the emerald shone among the garnet and thin yellow gold that made up the scale like pattern, and continued around the white gold of the band that hugged the man’s left ring finger.

As if something had awakened within her – well added on to what was already going on through her – Ashlyn leaned forward, with his hand on her cheek placed a kiss on Severus’s lips, where they held on to it deeply.  
He pulls away, slipping a forefinger on her lips, whispering “not now” in her ear.  
“We have a few more tasks to deal with first,” he affectionately reminds her.  
Knowing this to be true, Ashlyn and Severus exit the booth and leave the Three Broomsticks to start the walk up to the castle known as Hogwarts.


	7. 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer sees Doctor Linda Martin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter to introduce Linda Martin into the tale.

Chapter 7

Doctor Linda Martin was sitting straight and poised in the chair she favoured during her sessions with her clients. Lucifer Morningstar was no exception. She was almost without a clue of what she was showing, but she had known herself to be a balance of compassionate, professional and, where needed, firm.

Or, perhaps, she was still trying to get her head wrapped around the freshest of tales she had been told about the whole Celestial world, and discovering that, at one time, Lucifer was, to her deepest surprise, married! Or whatever the equivalent of married was to the Angels, and whom they ‘bond’ with. Not to mention that there was also a race of Wizards.

Linda had to wonder what else she was going to discover after this.

The other surprise was that Lucifer was a father – that near blew her mind when she learned of this, and when she was given the rundown of it all, from what Lucifer had been able to relay, backed by his brother, Amenadiel and someone named Severus Snape... who is, to her sheer disbelief is married to this daughter of Lucifer.

The moment she laid her eyes on the King of Hell, Linda Martin didn’t withhold her fury and disgust, accusing him of a myriad of things, it took a great deal of words for the psychologist to truly understand everything and why it was the way it even was.

“If this Severus was so against it, why did he go through with it?”

Lucifer exasperated a little, he thought he had this covered.

“It is literally a damned if you do, damned if you don’t. It also does depend on the Wizard themselves, too. Severus has been fighting to stop the marriage from going ahead, for he was already engaged, but some busybodies decided to intervene and have things done for their own reasons, which not even I can figure out, only that it does centre Ashlyn and Severus.  
“The Ministry of Magic of the United Kingdom, as well as a few other countries, have made it where if the Wizard does not comply, they will have his soul sucked out, or some other just as nasty punishment, while the girl is punished also, for the groom-to-be’s refusal, some belief that she is the one at fault for the outcome.”

“But you said that she was a Celestial. Don’t you have powers?”

“They’ve been blocked and she’s been abused into thinking she’s nothing of worth, other than to be under the rule of some ‘greater good’ spiel, which is a lot of nonsense!”

There was a great deal of hurt coming from Lucifer; he was displaying an even greater display of guilt, sadness and almost lost of what he was even meant to do. He was calling for her help, and was feeling vulnerable and attacked by Linda and her excel of how she was thinking.

Of course, Lucifer didn’t blame Linda, it was how she, (and a great deal of many others), saw the way things are, and how they should be. A thirteen-year-old girl being married to a man twice her age, and to find out about Celestials mating habits on top of that, and wrapping her head around the forced marriage...

“You don’t have to like what’s happened,” he tells her, not even looking at her, instead focusing on his hands, fiddling with a ring; “or the fact that Celestials, at times, can find their mates to bond with at what you would call teenage years, but for the sake of Ashlyn, my brother and I, as well as Severus, please consider in helping her.”

Linda’s eyes caught the ring; it was different to the one he usually wore, which was a decent sized onyx bedded on platinum silver and white gold, which was worn on his right middle finger; instead this one was worn on his left ring finger... it was a rose and white gold, with tiny, but visible, pink sapphire, lapis lazuli, emerald and amethyst going around the centre of the band.

Her expression softened, seeing the true sincerity within Lucifer’s face, and just how much he was hurting by all of this and he did come to her for help, and still asking, even after the brutal verbal lashing she gave.

“Just when I start to think I have you figured out, you still find ways to have me question everything, just to try and make sense of it all.”  
“This is one of those cases where it wasn’t even an intention, Doctor.”  
“I may have an opening for a new client,” she says.

###

That exchange was only a day ago, but was still rattling around in Linda’s head; doing her all to think of just how much of this world she was slowly, bit by bit, starting to dare comprehend, and on just how much of it was an extension from how things may have been once upon a time, or were still going on, with the way different cultures and people took things; by people, meaning mere mortals, like herself.

Linda had grown up in a world where things weren’t as simple as it was, especially being a female. She had to remind herself on how arduous it was to get where she had to in the first place, not just because it was tough in itself to study and get through the haze of peer pressure, among other things, she was also walled by the fact that she had entered into a profession that was still mostly male dominated, even with the tide still turning, she couldn’t help but feel this surge of something hitting her core when she first caught of Lucifer’s request... which was still backed up by his brother, Amenadiel, and this other person, whom she didn’t know, Severus Snape... or Prince?

After learning more of what had happened and why things had turned out to being, coming back to how deflated Lucifer was, seated on the couch in her office, a man, Angel... Devil... whatever... whom she had come to know over the years and seeing this side only a handful of times, but knowing him well enough to “know”, Linda couldn’t turn her back. Not after thoroughly reading the extremely detailed letter from Severus, explaining of the complexity of Ashlyn.

Something she didn’t do the first time, all she read was a thirteen-year-old girl being married to a man twice her age, and she was Lucifer’s daughter, (which was practically just as a shock to the system, as he never bought her up until recently, but after even more diving, saw and understood).

The therapist’s heart sank and broke a little when she read how this girl had been broken into believing she wasn’t worth anything. All Severus wanted was to give this girl, his wife, (still a mind wrap to get around), Ashlyn, the aid she needed, following through with the laws he was stuck with of his world, among other circumstances, was the only way to get her to a form of safety, even if it meant taking certain other steps to fully obtain it.

Wondering on just how much more she would have to learn and figure out about the Wizarding World, as well as the ever growing knowledge of the Celestial one, including the fact that there is, indeed, a Hell, due to the one and only King of it being a client, whom was at one stage a lover, and is now someone she would class as a good friend, Linda started to prepare for her meeting with her soon-to-be client.


	8. 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus and Ashlyn reach Hogwarts castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slow to get any updates/writing happening these days.  
> It's the school holidays here, meaning the kids are home for another 4 or so weeks before they return to school for the new year.  
> I have also signed up to do studies, so my time throughout the year is going to be divided between placement, studies and of course managing the madhouse that are my children, ha ha.  
> I am slowly working on updates to the other stories yet to be tackled, patience really is a virtue at times.
> 
> _Voting option below_

Chapter 8

“I am delighted to see that you’ve decided to bring her, Severus,” spoke the voice of the man Severus and Ashlyn were hoping to prolong in hearing, but knew that it would be unavoidable all together.

They were hoping to slip into the castle unseen, Severus explaining on the journey up, how they would go directly to the dungeons, so is to have an anchor point to start helping Ashlyn to settle and get her bearings within the huge place.

Unfortunately, standing right in the middle of the Entrance Hall, before the extraordinary grand staircase, wearing one of his signature robes, and silver white beard and hair as long as it could go was Albus Dumbledore.

Ashlyn immediately cowered, wanting to hide, or run, stepping back into Severus, who was entering right behind her; his response to this was placing a reassuring arm around her, and glower at the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

“When I noticed the other Heads of Houses entering, I had wondered where you had gotten to, as you are usually arriving all at once from whatever gathering you have down in the village. I did catch wind that you hadn’t come alone, and from what I’ve heard has admittedly troubled me.”

Keeping it nonchalant, not wanting to give away anything, also wondering just how much the old man knew, Severus asked what he was talking about.  
Dumbledore’s tone was one of disappointment and dismay; “About you announcing Honey as a Lady, speaking as though she is an equal to you.”  
“That is because she is my equal, Albus,” says Severus, knowing right off where he would have gotten the information from, equally glad that Rosmerta had no idea what else had transpired, at least he hoped. “My wife is Lady Prince, or Lady Snape, whichever is appropriate during whichever occasion.”  
“That is not what was agreed upon when discussing my handing her over to you!” the Headmaster fumes loud enough to be heard.

“I agreed to taking Ashlyn as my wife, as it was at _your_ persistence that I do, taking it upon myself to get to know her as best as I could leading to our wedding day; what happens after that is nothing that you can control, as once the consummation was complete, every single ounce of your guardianship that had been upon Ashlyn, moved over to me, as her husband, as it is of the strong traditions and laws, and it cannot be given back,” Severus tells him with bold silky drawl he was known for.

Satisfaction in seeing Dumbledore recoil a little at this reminder was written on the Potion Master’s face; then to see a creasing of his brow.  
“What did you just call her?”  
“My name is Ashlyn, now, grandfather,” Ashlyn speaks softly.  
Dumbledore snaps his head from her to Severus, wordlessly demanding an explanation. Severus, not wanting to keep going with this, starts to try and lead Ashlyn away. The older wizard then voiced his want for an explanation.

“Albus, all you need to know is that, once again, all decisions that were once yours are now mine when it is the concern for Honey. She would is more comfortable with the name Ashlyn, and I am allowing it. I am sure that there are other things to be worried about right now, other than name preferences, so I believe now is the time to get on with such. The school curriculum isn’t going to write itself, especially when you pride yourself in wanting to make sure certain subjects are addressed... at least the ones still remaining that are currently still with staff in attendance to teach them.”

“What are you saying, Severus?” Dumbledore coolly jeers.  
Severus smirked, he didn’t need to say anything; returning to lead Ashlyn toward the dungeons to just get her away from the old coot, making it a point to not stop until they had passed through the doorway and into the start of the tunnels that would fork and snake around the bowels of the castle, he could feel her hand tighten a little, but once she saw how well lit the place was, she calmed.

“We will be taking the tour about Hogwarts slow,” he tells her. “This will be the same for whenever you feel you are going to be comfortable in being around people who would be residing here for during the time of schools commence.”  
Ashlyn showed a grateful manner to this suggestion.

It was obvious to Severus that the first real area he would show her would be to his office, for more than just the one reason. The first reason was simply to show exactly where she can escape to should she feel the need to, even with the newly forged ring upon her finger that would allow her to go straight to any property she now has privilege to.

Severus didn’t stop Ashlyn from going further in to have a better look, her grey-tinged-blues wide with wonder at what she was seeing. He had half expected her to be anxious due the simple fact that this office wasn’t exactly the warmest of places in terms of making one feel welcome – at least that is what the Potions Master tended to get with many of the students that have come and gone, or are still current; Ashlyn was uncertain, but genuinely mesmerized by the sight of the carefully placed jars filled with all sorts of things, books, ornaments and more that showed what the man wanted to display.

“This is one of the three entries to the quarters that have been provided for me whilst providing my services here, four if you count the Floo, but I dismantled that, so people can only get to my office, not private rooms,” Severus explains to her, going over and showing framed oil painting that was between the fireplace and start of the first row of bookcases.

The painting showed a series of well designed flasks around a bubbling cauldron, it was between mostly dark with faint visuals of colour here and there to give volume. The frame was solid dark wood with a thin gold band around it.  
Ashlyn stared at it in disbelief.  
“That’s... I painted that!”

This surprised the Potions Master; this painting had replaced the old, much smaller, watercolour artwork of a dreary tree that was dying and very depressing, even for his standards, plus it didn’t fit the decorum of the place.  
“How do you know?”

The girl points toward the very bottom, near the left corner; Severus saw it, the tiny minute bird that was on every piece he had seen in the Entrance Hall or the Courtyard during one of the offers before sale Dumbledore had on once every few months. He, along with many of the staff, and even the older students, have been offered an array of such artworks as this, (and not just paintings, but sculptures and more), to have before they were sold off for whatever price they were going to be going for.

“I... I heard that everyone who does a piece like this needs to put their mark on it, so to make sure others know who did it,” her voice was polite. “I never knew if I would ever see any of my creations once they were completed and taken away from me, so I...”  
“Wanted to be sure that if you did come across any of them, you would know?” he finished for her.  
Ashlyn nods.  
“And... you never saw a single Knut, Sickle or Galleon for your work?”  
Fidgeting her feet and looking down, Ashlyn’s lack of words was enough of an answer; as was his ability to sense it.

Severus stayed composed. “From now on any profit you gain from your work, should you choose to earn from this well deserved recognition of your aptitude, will be placed directly into your own account, which will be within in the Prince Vault.”  
“Aptitude?”  
“Another way of saying talent.”  
“Oh.”  
She then frowns and asks why.  
“Because only the artist, whilst they are among the living that is, ought to have the say on whether their masterpieces are to be made for earning, or simply because they just want to create for the passion and not for earnings. If you see any of your work about the castle, please inform me where you saw it and I will handle the rest.”  
Trusting this at his word, Ashlyn agrees.  
“As for this piece, what would you like to have done? Keep it where it is, or have it removed when I can find a suitable replacement, and have it placed in Snape Manor?”

Taken aback from not expecting the offer of choice, Ashlyn said that she didn’t know what she wanted, feeling a little inundated; she feels him benevolently getting her to look at him, the sincerity once more going over her. The discovery that she had been lied to, again, and having her work not only stolen, but sold without her knowledge, and now being offered one of her pieces back!  
“I... I don’t know... what to do...” she says once more.  
“Take your time, Ashlyn,” his voice full of caring.

After he spoke this is softly brushes his fingers against the canvas, touching the ‘fire’ that was alit under the cauldron, causing the contents to bubble and steam out over the edge, pouring out and continuing down and ‘out’ of the painting itself, expanding up and outward, as well, to reveal an arch shaped doorway, the wood that was the painting’s frame was also the frame for the doorway.  
Severus encourages Ashlyn, (who was in awe of what she just saw something she created change the way it did in front of her), to go ahead of him, through the doorway.

“No-one else, other than me, is able to access here, unless invited,” Severus explains. “You do not require such need for invitation, as you receive right of entry by default, being my wife. Not even Dumbledore can come in here, even if he is the Headmaster and theoretically able to have all power to be anywhere he likes within the castle and grounds, his egotism has made him incapable to remember a few details, but when is reminded, he isn’t pleased by it.”

Intrigue was written on Ashlyn’s face when she saw the quaint studio style set up, very closely similar to their room in Snape Manor, except for a few differences.

For one, there was a nook that served as a kitchenette, cornered off by a dividing wall, giving the impression of it being a tuck away, the other is the sleeping area was also divided off, leaving the rest of the area opened up for seating and leisure activities. Lines of bookshelves, carving into these were the openings to other rooms, one being the bathroom, seeing that the door was open, the other two rooms were closed off, so she wouldn’t know, and she was still apprehensive on allowing her curiosity to get the better of her.

She noted that the fireplace that was in Severus’s office, was the same one, making it double sided hearth; she frowned when she saw the metal plating over it.  
“Stops unwanted visitors,” Severus tells her. “I only use it when absolutely needed; otherwise, I just use the other one.”  
The colour scheme was one that was well suited for Severus, but that was easy to fix as Ashlyn was demonstrated on how to change a few things so that way her own touches were included.  
“Just as I want you to be comfortable in Snape Manor, I want you to be comfortable here, too.”  
Appreciation ensued, but...

“How are you feeling?” he invites her to speak.  
Unable to look away from the metal plate, Ashlyn started fidgeting with her hands, having trouble finding the words. The Potions Master doesn’t push her; sensing her emotions was adequate enough to feel her confusion over seeing something that she had created, the fear of seeing the man who had hurt her for so long standing to confront them the way he had, and purely not knowing what she was even meant to be doing as of this moment.  
“Would you like to have a rest here in the quarters or see some parts of the castle?”

By offering Ashlyn the choice, Severus believed that it gave her the allowance to have control of the situation, help divert her negative thoughts, even a little.  
“I guess I’d like to see some of the castle, but I thought you had to do whatever it is you do,” the girl’s reply was one of how Severus expected, but being used to.

“I have enough time aplenty to get what I need done to be ready for the students’ arrival, Honey,” he assures, watching her as she still slowly explores the area, her eyes several times looking at both the closed doors, curiosity etching to find out what was behind them, but refraining from asking, or going over to see for herself.

One door had the carving of a raven in flight, while the other was simple with a gold knob. Severus, being that this was his private quarters, knew what was behind them, but he wanted for his wife to find out for herself, he wanted her to know she was safe to do so – as he had told her upon entering, these quarters were her home now, her safe place, just like Snape Manor, exploring as much or as little is something she needed to establish that.

Ashlyn analysed the choices given...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ashlyn decides to...
> 
> A) Check out the castle with Severus
> 
> If chosen this, Ashlyn and Severus - _*may choose 2 if wish*_
> 
> A1 - Discover more of her works  
> A2 - Find the Dementors  
> A3 - Meet Hagrid or Peeves the Poltergeist  
> A4 - Have another run in with Dumbledore
> 
> or
> 
> B) Stays in the quarters.
> 
> If chosen this - _*may pick 1 or 2*_
> 
> B1 - Severus goes on to organise the schedules for upcoming classes  
> B2 - Ashlyn's curiosity has her opening one (or both) of the doors  
> B3 - Severus witnesses Ashlyn having another foresight  
> B4 - They get a message from Lucifer and Amenadiel

**Author's Note:**

> _If you feel that tags and warnings are missing at any point during this fiction, please let me know so I can add them in._


End file.
